In Christianity, the concept of servanthood is fundamental. The world has a different paradigm; it functions under the leadership model of self-promotion. Believers in Jesus Christ have a different and higher calling. The biblical call to servanthood extends to all believers in Jesus Christ, encouraging them to serve within the church community and beyond. This calling is rooted in the teachings of Jesus, who exemplified the perfect servant’s heart. In this blog post, we explore what it means to have a servant’s heart, the qualities that define true servanthood, and how believers can embody these principles in their daily lives.
1. The Call to Servanthood
Every believer is called to serve, reflecting the work that God desires to be done in this world. This universal call is not limited to a select few; it encompasses all members of the family of God. In the Church, we serve one another and those outside the church. The believer’s calling and desire must be to see people saved and brought into God’s family. As Jesus taught in Mark 10:43, true greatness is found in serving others, which exhibits a genuine love for them.
Jesus emphasized, “If you want to be great, be a servant.” True greatness in the body of Christ comes from serving others, but it goes beyond mere actions. True greatness is found in having a servant’s heart. It’s possible to perform acts of service without possessing the right heart attitude. A servant’s heart is characterized by humility, availability, and obedience.
James and John, two of Jesus’ disciples, illustrate this distinction. They sought positions of power and authority beside Jesus but lacked the true spirit of servanthood. Jesus corrected them, teaching that true leaders in His kingdom must serve others selflessly. He challenged their desire for power, explaining that true leadership involves sacrifice and service.
In essence, the call to servanthood is countercultural. It goes against the world’s desire for power, prestige, and recognition. Instead, it embraces humility, selflessness, and the willingness to serve others, no matter the cost. This call is not optional for believers; it is a necessary part of living a faithful and fruitful Christian life. Believers are called to be servants, reflecting Jesus’ life and mission to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.
2. The Nature of a Servant’s Heart
Understanding the nature of a servant’s heart is essential for embodying true servanthood. This section delves into three fundamental qualities that define a servant’s heart: humility, availability, and obedience.
Humble
A servant’s heart is fundamentally humble. Humility involves exalting others above oneself and prioritizing their needs. The Apostle Paul captures this well in Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
When I was in seminary, I met a man named Thomas. Though he had an MBA and held a high-profile business job, he felt called to ministry. He left his lucrative career and pursued a seminary education, taking up a humble job cleaning bathrooms at night to support his studies. Despite his prestigious background, Thomas demonstrated true humility by doing whatever was necessary to fulfill God’s call to servanthood.
Humility in servanthood means recognizing that we serve not for personal glory but for the blessing of others and the glory of God.
Available
A true servant’s heart is also always available and ready to serve. This means being prepared to act whenever needed, regardless of convenience or personal plans. Mary, the mother of Jesus, exemplifies this availability. When the Angel Gabriel announced that she would bear the Messiah, she responded, “I am the Lord’s servant; let to be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Despite having her own plans and dreams of marriage and family with Joseph, Mary was willing to serve God’s purpose.
Availability in servanthood means being attentive to the needs of others around us and being ready to be involved in the work of ministry. It requires a willingness to be inconvenienced and to prioritize the needs of others over our own schedules and desires. One must be others-focused rather than self-focused.
Obedient
Obedience is another crucial quality of a servant’s heart. Jesus Himself exemplified this obedience throughout His life. He obeyed the Father’s will, even to the point of washing His disciples’ feet, an act typically reserved for the lowest servant in the household. In John 14:15, Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands.” This underscores the importance of obedience in demonstrating our love for Christ.
A servant’s heart obeys God’s call, serving others as an act of worship and devotion. It means following God’s commands and being faithful in carrying out His will, even when challenging or against our natural inclinations.
These three qualities—humility, availability, and obedience—are essential for cultivating a true servant’s heart. By embodying these attributes, believers can more effectively serve others and reflect the love of Christ in their actions.
3. The Model of a Servant’s Heart
What does this kind of surrender to God’s will look like? We see it in Jesus Christ. The ultimate example of a servant’s heart is Jesus Christ Himself. Throughout His life and ministry, Jesus exemplified what it means to serve others selflessly and sacrificially. When the suffering masses came to Him, he healed their diseases, cast out demons from them, and taught them about the kingdom of God. Jesus always had the ultimate spiritual welfare of others in mind.
Jesus is the Ultimate Example
Jesus’ entire mission was rooted in service. In Mark 10:45, He states, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” This profound statement captures the essence of His purpose: to serve humanity by offering His life for our redemption. Even the Messiah, the Son of God, was willing to put others above Himself and serve them for their eternal good.
Sacrificial
True servanthood is inherently sacrificial. Jesus demonstrated this through His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. He gave His life to save humanity from sin, embodying the highest form of servanthood. This act of sacrifice is a model for all believers, calling them to serve others even when it requires great personal cost.
To have a servant’s heart is to be willing to sacrifice for the benefit of others. It involves giving up time, resources, and sometimes even comfort to meet the needs of those around us. This sacrificial spirit is what distinguishes true servanthood from mere acts of service.
This kind of service is not easy for most people. Even if we’re willing to serve, the servant’s heart Jesus models is difficult to embrace. We need a love for Jesus because of what He’s done for us and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit to enable us to serve with such sacrifice.
Redemptive
The servant’s heart is also redemptive. Its passion and goal is to bring others closer to God in salvation. Jesus’ servanthood was not just about meeting physical needs, which is good; it was about redeeming lives and restoring broken relationships with God. His service was a means to an end—the end being the salvation and transformation of lives.
Believers are called to serve in a way that reflects this redemptive purpose. It’s not just about doing good deeds but pointing others to Christ through those deeds. Serving others in a redemptive way means seeking their ultimate good, which includes their spiritual well-being and relationship with God. All people are broken in many ways and far from God. We can help them find the redemptive healing they need because we ourselves have experienced it.
Conclusion
In summary, a servant’s heart is characterized by humility, availability, and obedience, as exemplified by the Lord Jesus Christ. All believers are called to this kind of servanthood, which goes beyond mere acts of service to embodying the true spirit of sacrifice and redemption.
As followers of Christ, we are challenged to adopt a servant’s heart in our daily lives. This involves putting others’ needs before our own, being ready to serve at any moment, and obeying God’s call to serve. By doing so, we reflect Christ’s love and play a part in His redemptive mission.
Reflect on how you can develop and display a servant’s heart in your own life. Consider ways to serve within your church, community, and beyond. Remember, true greatness in the kingdom of God is found in serving others with a humble and obedient heart.