Power-filled Positive Thinking 12B –Birth of a Servant’s Heart
Over the past 11 chapters of this book, we have looked at the positions that we hold because we are in Christ. Those positions have included that we are the Beloved, Blessed, Redeemed and Chosen Children of God—heirs of Royalty, declared as Saints. Now we come to the truth that in Christ we are servants to God and to others. A servant is one who lays aside one’s own selfish desires to attend to the needs, dreams, and desires of another. To have a servant’s heart demands that we step out of our own comfort zone to be willing to sacrifice our time, energies, and love to see another reach their goals and dreams. This is not a simple task that one can perform from a heart that is seeking self-recognition.
Rather the only way that our eyes can open widely enough to see another’s heart is through genuine love. Love that sees the needs and desires of the beloved as greater than one’s own is necessary to be able to genuinely have a servant’s heart. We are asked as followers of Christ to have that kind of heart—the one that is willing to serve; yet, our own self exalting, selfish hearts tend to want to seek our own comfort first. Then, enters love. We may at first find that we are willing servants to whomever we love—like a dear friend, a spouse, or perhaps best illustrated in the love we may have for a child. We become willing to sacrifice everything so that our beloved might have joy, hope, and happiness.
Our love rises to a higher plane and suddenly we begin to see the glimpse of what it is to love like Christ loved us. Though, perhaps still imperfect; our heart begins to grow a little larger through that act of kindness. We find that through that sacrifice we begin to know the joy of watching our beloved succeed and we begin to grow in that love. As our heart stretches and grows it becomes able to feel the depth and the breadth of God’s love fill it a little further. As we become more Christ-like; we begin to realize that our own joy and love is fulfilled by sacrificially serving others. We don’t do it to receive joy; but, rather joy is an end result that arrives unexpectedly. Let us take a moment to look at some scriptures concerning our having a servant’s heart and the servant heart of Christ for us.
Philippians 2: If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
John 13: 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
1 Peter 1: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:25 But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
So, the heart of a servant begins with Love—a love that is willing to sacrifice, never expecting or demanding anything in return for the sacrifice. A servant’s heart begins with unconditional love that allows one to see the desires of the beloved as higher than one’s own. In Christ, we have received that kind of love. As we grow in that love, we begin to love Christ with a love that desires to serve Him. Serving Christ means we out of a heart filled with love, serve others as well. We cannot force it; but, we can ask that God fill our hearts to overflowing with His love and to open the eyes of our heart to see those around us who need Him.
Listen to this beautiful song A Servant’s Heart
©2015 Effie Darlene Barba
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