The Pastor's Pen

As a teenager I had a low paying, thankless job in a car wash. One day a man drove his car in with a bumper sticker that read "Jesus Saves." This man was rude, demanding and even drove his car around after we had washed it and made us "do it again, right this time." Never a kind or encouraging word escaped this fellows lips. I was not a Christian yet, but I knew a hypocrite when I saw one, so I tore the bumper sticker off of his car when I was washing it the second time. Needless to say, he was livid and spun his tires as he sped off in a huff. As an unbeliever I was put off by an attitude that I have seen in many Christians who are not representing the love of God that Jesus displayed.

According to that scripture, the goal of every born again believer is to think like a servant, because that was what Christ was and he is our example to follow. Are you a servant or do you demand others to serve you?

Some Christians think that everyone should be serving them. I have been in restaurants and have seen Christians berate the servants (waiters, waitresses, etc.) for what they considered bad service, because they did not receive the "royal treatment." I have worked in customer relations where I have had people I knew to be Christians angrily show no tolerance for anything less than perfection. Granted, when I spend my time and money at a restaurant or a department store, I really enjoy it when they seem glad I am there and the staff is trained to meet my needs and they do a good job of it. But where does this attitude come from that causes people, and especially followers of Christ, to expect everyone to cater to their whims? If they are slighted by the girl at the checkout because she is having a bad day, they become unglued and demand to speak to the manager. Where is the love of Jesus in that?

Friends, we are called to be servants, so why do we treat other servants with such disrespect. This kind of attitude leaves a bad taste in the mouths of the ones we treat so poorly and is not a testimony for the love and humility of Christ. The One who allowed himself to be spat upon, slapped, berated and crucified, was the greatest King of all, and could have called legions of angels to come and destroy all those who treated him with such disrespect. But his mission was to love, show the tenderness and mercy of God and even give up his own life in the process. How much like Christ are we? Do we see ourselves as servants who are willing to give of ourselves to help someone else see a little bit of God’s love, or are we demanding others to serve us and cater to our needs as if we were kings?

The Bible says that we are Kings, and even joint heirs with Christ, but the attitude of King Jesus was one of selflessness, for he came to serve, not to be served (Mark 10:45). Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves (Luke 22: 24-27).