Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Of Service & Sacrifice


I have recently collected these quotes. Countercultural advice - worth its weight in gold:

God determines your greatness by how many people you serve, not by how many people serve you.  Rick Warren

If you seek power before service, you'll neither get power, nor serve. If you seek to serve people more than to gain power, you will not only serve people, you will gain influence. That's very much the way Jesus did it.  Tim Keller

Let no one come to you without feeling better or happier. 
Mother Teresa

…and my prayer:


Lord Christ, Luke tells us you “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
(Luke 2:52) Those were your teenage years. I’m pushin' sixty and forever playing catch-up. It reminds me of a memorable line from my Bible study: We don’t need more information. We need transformation.*

You set the standard for servanthood and sacrifice. From acts of healing to words of forgiveness. From foot washing to the Crucifixion.

Your words, Jesus:
Let the senior among you become like the junior; let the leader act the part of the servant. Who would you rather be: the one who eats the dinner or the one who serves the dinner? You’d rather eat and be served, right? But I’ve taken my place among you as the one who serves. (Luke 22:26-27, The Message)

I have come to realize that wisdom grows in the soil of humility, but I have an erosion problem. Service of self intrudes upon servanthood. Sacrifice competes with comfort.

Your words, Jesus:
Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage. 

(Matthew 20:26-28, The Message)

Lord Christ, I’m often held hostage by my bad habits, negative thoughts and selfish ways. I pray for release and transformation. I pray for your Spirit of humility and servanthood. Amen.

* - Colin Sinclair
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