"The Way Up Is Down", what a statement! When I first heard these words preached a few years ago, my first thought was, "How can this be true?", it doesn't sound very inviting, and after all shouldn't we be striving and pushing towards climbing up the ladder of success?
Matthew 23: 11-12 says, "But he who is the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Mark 9:35 says, "And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, if anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."
Servanthood Is The Way To Greatness!
A person can succeed in one area of their life, and yet fail in another. Here is a true story: For ten years of marriage, he thought the problems he and his wife were having were all her fault. He constantly encouraged her to go to Bible studies, attend prayer meetings and make sure she talked to the Pastor. He was the leader in the home. He thought he was exercising his leadership in his home by sending her to get help, not realizing he was the one who needed it. One day he attended a conference and God spoke to him through the teaching on love vs lust and revealed to him that he was incorrect in the way he was handling things with his wife. He realized that all he wanted was for her to please him. All he wanted was his own satisfaction and wanting all he could get, but not giving her anything. His eyes were open that day to the truth and he decided to put love into his relationship instead of lust. He became a leader through love, by learning to serve.
Jesus said how we care for others would be
the measure of our own greatness.
Love has a lifting power. It elevates.
Serving is a voluntary subscription of love. Love is the desire to benefit others at the expense of self, while lust is the desire to benefit self at the expense of others.
Love desires to give, lust desires to get.
Love serves others, while lust serves self.
What does God require of me? As His servant, I find myself desiring to offer the resources he has entrusted me with, be it finances, time, energy, intellect, a listening ear or an encouraging word. I choose to be available to be used by Him. Like the boy with the five barley loaves and two fish, my resources often seem insignificant to meet the needs of God's people. But like the boy who made his lunch available to Jesus (John 6:1-14), I've found that when I offer my resources, God's grace multiplies the blessings to others.
Have you asked the Lord to give you something more to do for Him? As you wait for that something, seek to serve Him and grow in your Christian walk. Remain content with where he has put you, while continuing to watch for his leading. Stand before Him available to do anything He might require of you, alert to His guidance, and ready to walk in obedience to His will.
Servanthood Is The Way To Greatness!
