“For who is the greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.” Luke 22:27
It’s our attitude, not our altitude that will determine if we are serving with joy. There was no one higher than Jesus and yet He chose a life of service. Most of us struggle at least sometimes to joyfully serve those who don’t deserve it-but that’s the story of the Bible right? The sinless God gave His life for those couldn’t ever be worthy of it. Who are you struggling to serve with joy today? Let’s be honest; maybe you feel like you’ve taken your turn serving; let someone else take a turn, right? And that’s exactly the way the world sees it, Jesus even said that the one reclining was greater.
But Jesus used His servant’s heart to shift their paradigm about service and it all begins with our attitude, not our placement, ranking or altitude in life. The highest of high became as the lowest of low by freely pouring out His very life in service and He did it willingly…whole-heartedly…and without thought for Himself and I believe that that filled His life with great joy!
Though untold suffering lay ahead, I believe He found joy in loving and serving others and so can we if we have the attitude, not the altitude of Christ.
Pastor Sandy Anderson