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Jesus rose from supper...
...took a towel...
...poured water into a basin and began to wash the discples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel.
(John 13:4-5)
Jesus said, "The Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve,
and to give His life
a ransom for many."
(Matthew 20:28) |
At a recent ministry conference, Bob Allen of Grace Ministries International (a ministry in Atlanta associated with Journey in Christ) gave an inspiring message contrasting "towel leadership" versus "title leadership," a servant leader versus a proud leader.
Bob reminded me that my life is not my own, and I live my life to give it away. He encouraged me to be free in being alone without being lonely. We already have the nature of Christ. Christ now builds His character in us in private so we can become who we really are in Him in public.
A new thought came to my mind from this message: All ministry we perform as Christians is leadership. In evangelism, we lead people to Christ. In discipleship, we lead others in Christ. In Christ co-exists the paradox of the greatest power and the greatest humility the world will ever see!!
PONDERING MY LIFE IN CHRIST
I pondered this week about the servant nature of Jesus and I am growing to realize more profoundly how He has given His nature to me and you. Below are thoughts that came pouring into my heart and mind as I sought to personally behold Christ this week.
IN CHRIST'S SERVANT NATURE, I AM WILLING:
to see my hands literally as the hands of Christ doing ministry.
to do all things from my heart and not for achievements.
to do what I find myself loving to do.
to surrender the need for numerical results to prove success.
to focus on people, not results in ministry.
to know that minor ministry tasks are not really minor.
to not see any task as too menial for me to do.
to see hope when the whole world appears to be falling apart.
to rest in Jesus' finished work through the cross for me.
to know that the message of the cross can transform the world.
to not be afraid to minister outside the box.
to care about, but not be controlled by, how people respond.
to know deep joy during feelings of discouragement and rejection.
to periodically go away just to walk and pray.
to be misunderstood.
to be shunned and unappreciated.
to be persecuted by ridicule.
to cry when hurt, and to cry when family and friends are hurt.
to remain free to minister by surrendering my hurts to Christ.
to tremble while confidently testifying of Christ in me.
to confront others in love.
to surrender the right to be right.
to never be defensive.
to be ready to give a defense for the reason for the hope in me.
to smile for no other reason than being prompted by the Holy Spirit.
to prioritize ministry to those people the world gives up on.
to serve the down-and-out as fervently as the up-and-coming.
to learn how to recognize sadness in a person's eyes.
to learn how to reach out and touch a sad person with joy.
to always be learning of Christ and His hope for me and others.
to be real and not religious.
to be the dud of the party.
to pull out of traffic and stop to thank God for the gift of a sunset.
to sing out of tune to God, knowing that He loves to hear me.
to not serve alone, but to serve with others as the body of Christ.
to boast of Christ transforming lives at the risk of sounding proud.
to testify of truth by faith rather than to teach truth by facts.
to be in heaven's hall of faith instead of in earth's hall of fame.
to enjoy those things that only cost time.
to be open and vulnerable with others.
for my yes to mean yes, and my no to mean no.
to live without the non-essentials of the American dream.
to lose everything I ever earned on earth.
to serve more intimately in and with Christ, and not just for Christ.
to live life to the fullest because Christ has already fulfilled my life.
to be free to die because Christ has already fulfilled my life.
For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).
I see Jesus Christ in each characteristic on the above list, and I growing to see me in Him. I hope this encourages you to further see your true nature in Christ, too. Your fellow servant,
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