Created to Serve, not bite….

I am writing this from an early morning class with Dr. Richard Davidson. He is sharing insights from the Old Testament on Servant leaders, and my heart is burning to share some with you.

Often certain words make us biased, because of past history, because of association we carry. For example the word “slave.” The brutal past will cause anyone to get upset if someone would call us so. We have done much to avoid the use of this word. Israel as a nation lived among nations that had brutal treatment of slaves. They themselves experienced cruel treatment in Egypt. Yet, as they were establishing themselves as a free nation God reminded them that they were His slaves – using very same word, with all its negative connotations. Why?

You find that we were created to “serve.” Genesis 2:15 uses this Hebrew root word “ABAD” which is translated as “to dress,” (KJV) “to work in” (NIV) Bottom line – human was in the Paradise to serve! When the Sanctuary service was instituted, and the Sanctuary was to represent the Paradise lost and hope for it’s restoration, all the priests were to do the same in it – serve! (Numbers 18:7)

God makes it plain to the Israelites that the service is our purpose. The difference is Who we serve. From being servants of pharaoh to becoming servants of God. From being servants of selfish lusts to becoming servants of God’s Kingdom.

The whole history of the Old Testament is filled with hundreds of examples of this attitude of servitude – voluntary, intentional, chosen.

People described themselves as servants/slaves to one another, like when Abigail spoke to David “Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” (1^st Samuel 25:41) Just take a look how many times she uses this wonderful word “servant”!

On the other hand, whenever someone refused to serve – their life went to smithereens, their efforts became failure. Consider Rehoboam: people came and asked him "If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever." (1^st Kings 12:7) Instead he replied “I will chastise you with scorpions.” (v.11). That was the end of his story…

As I listen to these Biblical examples I am prayerfully asking God to reveal me if I’ve been the example of servant to my flock here in London. I do not want to be a scorpion-leader. I want to be the servant.

What is your heart desire? Do you want to serve? Apostle Paul speaks to all Christians: by love serve one another. (Galatians 5:13).

Let this advise be our life motto: serving God, serving people!