Jesus Servanthood

Jesus knelt before His disciples and washed their feet. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords stooped so low as to become a man here on earth, and THEN stooped even lower to become a servant of man. After washing their feet Jesus basically said to the disciples that if He, Teacher and Lord, would serve them then they also ought to serve one another. His life was about extreme servanthood, from his lowly birth to His excruciating and unjust death. If Jesus is our role model. If we live to glorify Him and serve as He served, how are we doing? Do our priorities line up with His? I Peter 4:8-10 - "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.". 

Do we serve and love like Jesus did, or does our favorite television show have priority... or our Facebook games, or planning the next vacation, or any number of things that distract us, as my pastor talked about Sunday. We are part of a family aside from our bilogical family, to which we have obligations. We are called to so much more than just a hug and a smile on Sunday morning. We are called to be involved in each others lives. To know each others business, and not for the purpose of gossip or "one upmanship", but for the purpose of prayer, service, and love. If one of us is hurting or facing some kind of challenge, it's our business to know about it and come alongside and lift them up. Whether its by providing some kind of practical service, or by praying with them, or whatever. But we don't know what's going on if we're not involved and fervently loving.

Fervently: (S) (1619) - ektenos-intently (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance). When you love something intently you are focused on it and actively involved in caring for it. Think about that. Is that how we are with our brothers and sisters in Christ? That's how God's Word says we should be. Challenging isn't it? As is the true Christian life, not the complacent pew warmer kind of life. The life that models Jesus servanthood will always challenge and enrich us beyond anything we ever imagined. I guess what we need to decide is if it's worth it. :-)