Radically Different : Servanthood

Yesterday, I announced on this blog's Facebook page about doing a series called Radically Different. Radically different is a series I am doing on how radical the life and teachings of Jesus were and how we can also live radically different lives by following Jesus' example and today features the first installment.

If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all. - Mark 9:35

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

This sounds so upside down, doesn't it ? I mean the world tells us that to become great you have to get an Ivy-league or Oxford education, you have to "make" it in the financial world, become an overnight sensation or discover the cure for cancer. There is no place for becoming last and servanthood !

This is what makes Jesus' statement so radical : in God's Kingdom, the way up is the way down. The way to greatness is the way of servanthood. Becoming the highest means being the lowest first. Wow.

Jesus did not make a name for Himself. He did not publish a single book. He never intentionally drew attention to Himself. He went as low as washing the smelly feet of His disciples and dying the death of criminals. He never felt too big to do anything that would draw us to Him.

Who, being in very nature God,

    did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

⁷ 

but made himself nothing,

    taking the very nature of a servant,

    being made in human likeness.

⁸ 

And being found in appearance as a man,

    he humbled himself

    and became obedient to death—

        even death on a cross!

⁹ 

Therefore God exalted himto the highest place

    and gave him the name that is above every name,

¹⁰ 

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

¹¹ 

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:6-11

Do I really have to write more ? I sit here convicted. This is the God I serve, my friends. THIS IS THE GOD I SERVE and this is the example He would have us follow.