"You Were Shaped for Serving God"
March 28, 2004 Jn.13:1-17 Week 5, 40 Days of Purpose
Happiness found in Serving
How do you find true happiness? Some would say by living it up, treating yourself, having a good time. Dr Albert Schweitzer was a famous theologian who put his Christian convictions into action by becoming a medical doctor and running a hospital for many years at Lambarene in French Equatorial Africa. He said, "The only really happy people are those who have learned how to serve."
Albert Schweitzer practised what he preached. Norman Cousins spent considerable time with Schweitzer and wrote this about his dedicated servanthood. He said, "The biggest impression I had in leaving Lambarene1 was of the enormous reach of a single human being. Yet such a life was not without punishment of fatigue. Albert Schweitzer was supposed to be severe in his demands on the people who worked with him. Yet any demands he made on others were as nothing compared to the demands he made on himself...History is willing to overlook almost anything -- errors, paradoxes, personal weaknesses or faults -- if only a man will give enough of himself to others." That giving yourself to others, putting yourself under their needs, is servanthood. Your life's donation matters more than its duration, as Rick Warren puts it.
Saved to Serve
We have been saved by Christ in order to serve God and others. Jesus suffered and died to pay the price for our sins, His punishment and wounding brought us healing in a spiritual sense. He has redeemed us, bought us back to serve in His Kingdom, spreading the news of God's life-changing love, power, and goodness available to all through the Holy Spirit. Our service is simply the debt we owe Him for saving us. 1Cor.6(20) says, "God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honour God." A model for us is Simon Peter's sick mother-in-law. When she was healed by Jesus, she instantly "stood up and began to serve Jesus," using her new gift of health (Mt.8:15). Paul told the Romans (7:4), "Now you belong to him...in order that we might be useful in the service of God." The Bible also says that God "has created us for a life of good deeds, which He has already prepared for us to do." (Eph.2:10). Good deeds or actions require serving.
The Purpose-Driven Life (PDL) notes that, in some churches in China, they welcome new believers by saying, "Jesus now has a new pair of eyes to see with, new ears to listen with, new hands to help with, and a new heart to love others with." It is our duty, our debt, to serve the Lord after all He's done for us; but the crazy thing is, He'll also reward us! Jesus said in John 12(26), "The Father will honour and reward anyone who serves me." Rick Warren points out, "In heaven God is going to openly reward some of his most obscure and unknown servants -- people we have never heard of on earth, who taught emotionally disturbed children, cleaned up after incontinent elderly, nursed AIDS patients, and served in thousands of other unnoticed ways."
This brought to mind a couple of emails we'd received from Jessica and Stephanie Bokhout, two young women from Blyth who are currently serving at a small orphanage in South Africa. Here's an excerpt from one email in which Jessica described the negative effects of AIDS on some of these young children, conditions that must be repellent to a caregiver. "AIDS is Beniah. For this 2 year old heart throb, AIDS appears in the form of TB - creating night sweats and coughing fits that cause his lungs to seize up, his eyes to roll back in his head, and phlegmy spit to build up preventing him from breathing properly. These daily spells last anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, and after, Beniah will sleep for hours due to such exhaustion on his tiny body. AIDS is Lusindi, a new baby boy who arrived to us last week...For Lusindi, AIDS is his awful nappy rash all over his groin and hips -- making his ebony skin pink and raw. AIDS is also the infection in his little ears - both inside and out. A peeling, oozing puss mess that smells awful and which he rubs at constantly. AIDS is Pauline - a 6 month old baby girl whose bout with chicken pox was so severe, craters the size of quarters developed on her forehead and arms - oozing blood everywhere, and so deep that the bone below became exposed. Her reaction to this virus required a two week stay in the hospital, and only just now, nearly 2 months later, have these sores properly healed."
How difficult it must be to be in contact with these diseased bodies day after day! Yet in a subsequent lighter-hearted email, Jessica reveals the joyful servanthood which helps her and sister Stephanie bring happiness to such a situation. She describes a typical mealtime. "I have learned to eat very fast, and standing up. One must learn to do so around here in order to guarantee survival. This morning Jesse charged at me after breakfast and gave me the usual super hug as I scooped him up to kiss his face off. Where his face had met my shoulder, there was a nice imprint of porridge and a variety of other breakfast leftovers. 'Oh sorry Jessica, sorry - that's just my porridge from breakfast, hey.' Steph is looking after big babies at the moment and you should see the playroom when the kids are eating in there. Broccoli is all over the floor, rice is sprayed around the room like confetti, Theresa has meat in her hair, on her shirt, rice on her cheeks and gravy all over everywhere else. Favian is throwing food around in his high-chair and singing a didididididi while clapping his hands. Steph is trying to feed Ian in his special chair (he has CP and is in need of a lot of help) but more of the pureed squash has missed his mouth than gone in. And Raine - well Raine is a special case. He's pretty well sitting in his food...Oh man - days here are unreal."
Serving can be very messy -- but that's what we're saved to do, so roll up your sleeves and dig in!
Our Unique Shape
God's servants come in all different shapes, sizes, and abilities. The Bible in Ephesians (4:7) says, "Christ has given each of us special abilities -- whatever He wants us to have out of His rich storehouse of gifts." And (2:10), "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works." Think of "workmanship" as a fine handcrafted work of art, a one-of-a-kind original masterpiece.
Rick Warren summarizes these unique qualities God equips us with by the acronym "SHAPE" - Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. "S" is for Spiritual gifts: these are listed in Romans 12(3-8), 1Cor.12(4-11,27-31), and Eph.4(7-16) and include such things as prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, healing, and miracles, to name a few. 1Cor.12(7) says, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church." There are "spiritual gift inventories" that may help you identify what yours is, but Rick Warren's advice is, "Just start serving, experimenting with different ministries, and then you'll discover your gifts.Until you're actually involved in serving, you're not going to know what you're good at."
"H" is for Heart, your passion, your natural interests. PDL suggests we ask ourselves, "What do I really enjoy doing most? When do I feel the most fully alive? What am I doing when I lose track of time?" This will help us realize what our passions are, where our heart is. Deut.11(13) and other passages say to "serve the Lord with all your heart." Two signs of this are enthusiasm and effectiveness: When you're doing what you love to do, no one has to motivate you, you do it for the sheer enjoyment. Also usually you get good at it; passion draws us to improve our performance of the task.
"A" is for Abilities, the natural talents you were born with, everything from talking to athletics to math or music or mechanics. Some babies may be born with a "silver spoon in their mouth", but I'm sure others come forth with a monkey wrench in their hand! In the Old Testament, God provided artists and craftsmen to build the Tabernacle who the Bible says had "skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts to make artistic designs...and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship." (Ex.31:3-5) The apostle Peter wrote (1Pet.4:10), "God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings." What talents do you have that are lying unused, and could be of benefit either to a church ministry or in the community?
"P" is for Personality. Common inventories such as the Myers-Briggs measures whether we're an extrovert or introvert, a thinker or a feeler, intuitive or sensing, and whether we like to come to a decision or prefer a more open-ended approach. 1Cor.12(6) says "God works through different people in different ways, but it is the same God who achieves His purpose through them all." Or as the Quaker said to his friend in another era and lingo, "Everyone's queer but me and thee, and even thee's a little queer." The Bible reveals an entire panorama of different personality types which God has used: Peter was a sanguine; Paul a choleric; Jeremiah a melancholy.
"E" is for Experiences, the events of our personal history - from our family of origin, schooling, religious and work life, and especially our most painful experiences. 2Cor.1(4) says God "comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." Henri Nouwen wrote the book The Wounded Healer and proposed that it's the areas where we've been hurt and found God's healing that can bring most help to others. Rick Warren notes, "God never wastes a hurt! In fact, your greatest ministry will most likely come out of your greatest hurt. Who could better minister to the parents of a Down syndrome child than another couple who have a child afflicted in the same way? Who could better help an alcoholic recover than someone who fought that demon and found freedom? Who could better comfort a wife whose husband has left her for an affair than a woman who went through that agony herself?"
PDL devotes a chapter to the way God's power comes through especially in our weaknesses. 2Cor.12(9) says, "I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me." In another version, God promises, "I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people." PDL adds that "other people are going to find healing in your wounds. Your greatest life messages and your most effective ministry will come out of your deepest hurts. The things you're most embarrassed about, most ashamed of, and most reluctant to share are the very tools God can use most powerfully to heal others."
So, whatever your "SHAPE" is, put it to use for the Lord and in helping other people! Exercise the muscles of your unique gifts, abilities, experiences. Get passionate about how God's going to capitalize on your talents. Do it without comparing with anyone else, for they're quite different. Gal.6(4) warns, "Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others." Paul adds in 2Cor.10(12), "We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise." PDL cautions in particular against "gift envy" - feeling dissatisfied with what God gave us and how God uses others; and "gift-projection", expecting everyone else to have our gifts or feel as passionate as we do about something. Accept it -- you're unique, and so are they!
With our voluntary physical abilities like walking or lifting, regular exercise is vital. The saying is true - "use it or lose it". Jesus underlined a similar thought in the spiritual realm through the parable of the talents. There the master said to the disobedient servant who failed to use his one talent, "Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents." (Mt.25:28)
The chorus of a familiar gospel hymn promises, "I'll go where You want me to go, dear Lord, Over mountain, or plain, or sea; I'll say what You want me to say, dear Lord, I'll be what You want me to be." That epitomizes a servant attitude. Don't twist it like one wag who re-wrote the lyrics this way:
"I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, Real service is what I desire. I'll sing You a solo any time, dear Lord, Just don't ask me to sing in the choir.
"I'll do what you want me to do, dear Lord, I like to see things come to pass. But don't ask me to teach boys and girls, O Lord; I'd rather just stay in my class.
"I'll do what you want me to do, dear Lord, I yearn for Thy kingdom to thrive. I'll give you my nickels and dimes, dear Lord; but please don't ask me to tithe!
"I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, I'll say what you want me to say; I'm busy just now with myself, dear Lord -- I'll help You some other day."
Led by a Servant Lord
We serve because we have been served. Isaiah, centuries before Jesus' birth, foretold the coming of a "suffering Servant". Jesus Himself said, "Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve and to give my life." (Mt.20:28) Later, Paul reminded the Philippians (2:5,7), "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" who "emptied Himself by taking on the form of a servant." Rick Warren notes, "Jesus specialized in menial tasks that everyone else tried to avoid: washing feet, helping children, [preparing] breakfast, and serving lepers. Nothing was beneath Him, because He came to serve...Paul gathered brushwood for a fire to warm everyone after a shipwreck. He was just as exhausted as everyone else, but he did what everyone needed. No task is beneath you when you have a servant's heart." Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, sometimes would visit a franchise and discover the bathroom wasn't up to snuff. It caused great consternation to the store manager to discover Sam Walton himself, mop in hand, cleaning the bathroom floor! The head honcho wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty to do what needed to be done.
PDL adds, "Jesus...measured greatness in terms of service, not status. God determines your greatness by how many people you serve, not how many people serve you. This is so contrary to the world's idea of greatness that we have a hart time understanding it, much less practising it." Contrary to this world's tendency to boast and idolize, Scripture warns against making a big thing of our talents. Paul called it "eyeservice", serving in order to impress people with how spiritual we are. Jesus decried how the Pharisees turned even prayer into a performance to be seen by others: "When you do good deeds, don't try to show off.If you do, you won't get a reward from your Father in heaven." (Mt.6:1) However, even the most hidden acts of kindness are seen and noted by the heavenly court. Jesus also said, "If, as my representatives, you give even a cup of cold water to a little child, you will surely be rewarded." (Mt.10:42)
The most prominent example Jesus gave of servanthood was washing His disciples' feet the night He was betrayed. He knew Judas was going to "rat" on Him and turn Him in; yet still He washed the betrayer's feet along with the other disciples, who would soon be running away to save their own necks. What does it feel like to stoop and rinse the dirt off the feet of the man who will within hours be instigating your crucifixion? What measure of grace and humility does that take? John introduces the account by saying, "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God...so he got up from the meal took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist." (Jn.13:3f) Jesus served from a secure self-image, He knew the special role the Father had prepared for Him in His Sovereign plan. Likewise our servanthood is powered by knowing the love Christ has for us, being secure in the identity we have in Him - treasured, pursued, died for, inhabited by His Spirit.
Put Yourself Under...Literally
Servanthood takes a great deal of submission, putting yourself UNDER the need or command of another person. We began with the sacrifice and example of a medical doctor, Albert Schweitzer. In closing, here's a story told by Paul Aurandt of another doctor who took a servant approach and subjected himself to great risk for the good of others. These days we take local anesthesia for granted, but back in 1921 it was purely experimental.
Like most physicians of great experience, Dr Evan O'Neil Kane had become preoccupied with a particular facet of medicine. His strong feelings concerned the use of general anesthesia in major surgery. He believed that most major operations could and should be performed under local anesthetic, for, in his opinion, the hazards of a general anesthesia outweighed the risks of the surgery itself. Some patients with specific anesthesia allergies never awakened. Kane's medical mission was to prove to his colleagues once and for all the viability of local anesthesia. It would take a great deal of convincing.
Back in 1921, many patients were understandably squeamish at the thought of "being awake while it happens." Others feared the possibility of anesthesia wearing off in the middle of the surgery. To break down these psychological barriers, Kane would have to find a volunteer who was very brave, ad candidate for major surgery who would be willing to accept local anesthesia.
In his distinguished 37 years in the medical field, Kane had performed nearly 4000 appendectomies. So this next appendectomy would be routine in every way except one. Dr Kane's patient would remain awake throughout the surgical procedure under local anesthetic.
The operation was scheduled for a Tuesday morning. The patient was prepped, wheeled into the operating room, and the local anesthesia was administered. Kane began as he had thousands of times before...Locating the appendix, the 60-year-old surgeon deftly pulled it up, excised it, and bent the stump under.Through it all, the patient experienced only minor discomfort. The operation concluded successfully.
The patient rested well that night. In fact, the following day his recovery was said to have progressed better than most postoperative patients. Two days later, the patient was released from the hospital to recuperate at home. Kane had proved his point. The risks of general anesthesia could be avoided in major operations. The potential of local anesthesia had been fully realized, thanks to the example of an innovative doctor and a very brave volunteer. Dr Kane and the patient who volunteered had a great deal in common. In fact, they were the same man. To prove the viability of local anesthesia, Dr Kane had operated on himself!
Today, you don't have to "put yourself under" an anesthetic to be a servant; but you do have to put yourself under or submit to God's will and others' needs. Jesus the Great Physician put Himself under - way under, to the grave actually - to serve us. The healing from His wounds transforms our weaknesses, and our unique shape, to become Kingdom servants in saving others. Let's pray.