Servant's Hearts Like that of Christ

When we hear the word "servant" in today's culture we automatically revert back to the colonial times when almost every household had someone living in their home that took care of their every need. With the term comes some sort of derogatory meaning and a worthless type of image. So when we hear the word servant in Scripture we really don't know what to think. We know that we are commanded to "serve" others and to be "Servants" of the Lord but what does that really entail?

Well it first can be said that being a "servant" or "serving" does not come natural to the flesh. For those in the body who have been given the gift of service it is much more natural for you in the Spirit, but regardless it is not something that comes innately within humanity. In fact it goes contrary to everything that our flesh and body require or demand from us. Our bodies and our flesh want what we want and look out for #1...ourselves. Yet as the work of the Spirit begins the transforming process of sanctification we begin to see a radical change in the heart's desires and motivations.

Merriam Webster's dictionary describes a servant as, bound to service without wages. That means that as Christ's servant we are bound to serving Him without any expectation of reward. Although we are promised and given much eternal reward that is not to be our driving motivation. Being a servant to others means simply serving others. Loving others above yourself. Being a servant mimics Christ in His perfection. Looking at His life He was perfectly that. A perfect picture of putting others before oneself. Philippians 2:5-11 is a great passage in which we read, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."

Shane Barnard has a song entitled "Hearts of Servants" that expresses a picture of what our heart's desire should be in mimicking Christ's servants heart.
"Jesus, You are
Jesus, You were
Jesus, You will always be
a perfect servant to us
a perfect to death
even death on a cross

give us picture of Your face
show us the measure of Your grace
reveal the love of the Father
put within us tenderness
release from us all selfishness
we'll consider them better
we are Yours
give us hearts of servants"

Being a servant does not mean perfection, it simply means striving to be like Christ, seeking to glorify Him in all that you do. May we never look at our command to be servants as a burden or something far-fetched and out of reach but rather as something we are to strive for with the Lord's strength!