The Challenge of Servanthood

I haven't posted since just prior to Christmas and a lot has gone on in the "between times". Cindy was admitted to Baptist Hospital in Little Rock on January 7 for tests to determine if she was strong enough and well enough for a dangerous thoracic surgery to remove two tumors in her right lung (and at the time, we supposed for removal of an abdominal mass, as well -- that, wisely, was not to be).

When several days of scans and exams were done, her thoracic surgeon -- who specializes in risky cases like Cindy's -- determined that there was no reason not to proceed. Cindy had that surgery on January 10 and was released from the hospital on January 17. She has been at home recuperating since. That is the backdrop of my comments about servanthood.

Having an invalid to take care of provides a lot of learning opportunities that we don't normally get to be involved in otherwise. Until Cindy's congestive heart failure last fall, we cared for her bed-bound-total-care brother, Eddie, for seven years since her mother died in 2000. Eddie provided lots of "learning opportunities" in caring for someone else's needs and not being focused on our own. We also appreciate ones like our friend, Benny Elam who bears that burden day after day looking after his disabled wife.

These situations force us to look at love in a very practical way, as a responsibility, not a feeling. That is how God wants us to think of our love for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. We have a communal -- covenantal -- responsibility to each other and to our master. We aren't together to feel good.

Read John 13:1-17. The historical setting: In a typical middle-eastern setting, several social courtesies were ordinarily extended to guests. Expressions of hospitality included, the kiss-on-the-cheeks greeting, anointing, caring for the guest's animals, providing food and shelter.

Western culture typically has a completely different list of social amenities, taking a guest's coat, offering something to drink, asking the guest to be seated. In a culture where household servants were in abundant supply, the task of washing a guest's dusty feet normally would have been performed by a servant of the host. This fact is what made Jesus' action so repugnant to the disciples. They were disgusted that Jesus would lower Himself to perform such demeaning labor.

Other observations about John 13 and the "Master Servant":

• Jesus loved them to the MAX (not just to the end)
• He treated Judas just like everyone else, even though Jesus knew he was a betrayer
• We must take positive action to replace self-serving things with others-benefitting things
• Knowing is good, but the blessing only comes in the doing

"I have given you an example that you should do..." We are servants, he is the master. If the master stoops to wash, then the servant is not too important for the same task.