Many times, while serving in any area of ministry, we can tend to forget the reason we are serving in the first place. It is easy to get caught up emotionally as well as physically in our roles within the body of Christ.
What we need to often be reminded of is that we must stay humble.
After all it was pride that got Satan in trouble in Heaven…
Ezekiel 28:17 says, “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings” (NIV).
Sometime, Satan can try to fool us that we are the best landscaper that the church has ever seen and no one can mow the churches lawn like us. And if they make me mad no one will ever do it as good as me.
That’s not who God called us to be, and that is defiantly not the attitude that God called us to have.
Jesus gives us a great example of how we should serve in John chapter 13.
We must understand that foot washing was a task performed by the lowliest house servant. Before attending any feast, a man would bathe himself. Then, upon entering the home of the host, only his feet needed to be cleansed.
Because the Last Supper was a private affair, there was no servant available to perform the task. The disciples certainly didn’t think they should provide the service.
The story begins in John 13:4- “So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.”
I love it that the Creator of the universe, God in the flesh, humbles himself to perform the lowest, most demeaning job.
Continuing in verse 14- “And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”
There are many passages of scripture in our Bibles that tell us we are to be humble, and serve with a servant’s heart. Serving in the wrong mindset can cause us more harm than good, and can hinder the work the Lord has planned.
Proverbs 16:18 says, “pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling”.
In our responsibilities, our callings, and the things that we do for the Lord and for His church, we must always remember to remain humble, and consider it an honor to serve the King of Kings and His church.
Our eyes must always be on Him at all times. We are truly in this together, and we should all, always, be willing to serve together just as Jesus served and demonstrated to us through His perfect example.
Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:41-45)
Serve and Serve Humbly.
Blessings,
Pastor Jonathan Pannell
Rev. Jonathan W. Pannell III 