A Servant's Life

"It's not about you." 

It's become my mantra. 

"I don't feel like doing laundry."  It's not about you.  "I REALLY don't want to cook dinner tonight."  It's not about you.  "I don't want to be a teacher today."  It's not about you. 

Selfishness.  We live in a world that esteems self and stresses the importance of "taking care of you."  Even Christian leaders today fuel the idea that you must take time to invest in yourself.  I simply cannot find this advice anywhere in scripture.  The world says to take care of yourself.  Jesus says to take care of the orphans and widows.  The world says you are entitled to down time.  Jesus says lay down your life.  The world says to follow your heart.  The Bible says to take every thought captive.  The world says live for yourself.  The Bible says you have been crucified with Christ.  The world tells you your children are a burden.  The Bible says they are a blessing.  The kings of this world sit in a palace and are protected by servants.  Our King washed dirty feet, dined with thieves, touched lepers and healed prostitutes. 

Selfishness rears its ugly head in all of us.  It's the pride of self...the voice that tells us we are entitled to something.  It's easy to see it in someone else...a little harder to pinpoint in ourselves. 

My daughter yelled at her little sister today...over a lost toy she let her borrow.  My response? "What's more important: the toy or your sister's heart?" 

Ouch.

"I've told you a hundred times not to do that!"  What's more important?  "Why don't you listen to me?" Making your point? "Stop touching that!"  Demanding blind obedience? "Come here right now!"  Or their hearts?

Speak kindly.  Serve wholly.  Admonish gently.  Shepherd lovingly.  This is the life of a servant.  A life modeled after a King who came to show us what selflessness really looks like. 

We serve our families...and thus serve Jesus.  This is what turns our children's hearts toward the Savior.  This is what opens their soul to the loving, corrective wisdom that comes from the heart of God. 

Harsh words and selfish desire never won anyone to the Kingdom.

I pray God will bless me with a lap that is open, ears that are keen, eyes that are loving, and a smile that is turned toward the blessings in my home.  I pray for tireless hands, a selfless spirit, a pure heart, bent knees and raised hands.  

Thank goodness it's not about me.  I am sin and I forget all too often the call of selflessness.  I never want to forget the way it feels to look into the eyes of my Savior and say, "I will."  I will teach these children what it means to follow you.  I will love them every day.  I will lay down my life for the least of these.  I will work tirelessly doing Your work until You come back.  Because none of this is about me.  It's about You.  Redeemer.  King.  Messiah.  Servant.