They Also Serve Who Stay

Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant

 (Matthew 20:27)

Recently I heard a song that spoke of having “a servant’s heart.”  As the phrase was repeated throughout the song, I began to think about what constitutes servant-heartedness.

In the first two chapters of the Gospel according to Dr. Luke, I found at least four individuals whose lives exemplify qualities necessary for a good servant:  Zacharias (a/k/a Zechariah) the husband of Elizabeth and father of John the Baptist; Mary, the mother of Jesus; and senior citizens, Simeon and Anna.

None of them held a high-ranking position in society nor were they rich or highly acclaimed.  They were just four ordinary folks like you and me.  But a closer look at their lives reveals they each possessed at least four servant-hearted qualities:

Obedience – Good servants must be obedient and in good standing with their master:

Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were living according to God’s directions:

They were both righteous before God, walking in all the 

commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless 

(Luke 1:6)

Mary had preserved her virginity as instructed in Mosaic Law:

A virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph 

(Luke 1:27)

Simeon was a dedicated believer in Jehovah God:

This man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel 

(Luke 2:25)

Anna, far from being an embittered drain on society, was a faithful prayer warrior:

(She) served God with fastings and prayers night and day

 (Luke 2:37)

Humility – Good servants must be submissive; willingly fulfilling their responsibilities:

Zacharias, instead of hiding in shame because he had no children (considered a lack of favor with God), was faithfully pulling his shift as a temple priest:

According to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell

 to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord

 (Luke 1:9)

Mary’s reply, after hearing what sounded like an impossibility, revealed her submission:

Then Mary said…Let it be to me according to Your word” 

(Luke 1:38)

Simeon, nearing the end of his life, did not complain that he would not live to see Messiah’s reign fulfilled on Earth:

He (Simeon) took Him (Jesus) up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word for my eyes have seen Your salvation"

(Luke 2:28-30)

Anna’s role in the temple may have been humble but she accepted it wholeheartedly:

(She) did not depart from the temple 

(Luke 2:37)

Faithfulness – Good servants must make themselves available:

Suppose Zacharias, Simeon or Anna had decided not to go to temple that day.  They would have missed the amazing gift God had in store for them.

Suppose Mary had been in a dour, self-indulgent mood, or had gone somewhere she should not have been.  She would have been unavailable and unfit for the awesome privilege of giving birth to God’s only born-to-Him Son.

Patience – Good servants must do things according to their master’s timetable:

Zacharias served out the remainder of his term before going home to his wife:

As soon as the days of his service were completed, he departed to his own house 

(Luke 1:23)

Mary and Joseph waited until after the birth of Jesus to consummate their marriage:

She remained a virgin until her son was born 

(Matthew 1:25 TLB)

Simeon had waited many years before God’s promise of Messiah was fulfilled:

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he

 would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ 

(Luke 2:26)

Anna had spent most of her life in service to God:

A widow of about 84 years did not depart from the temple 

(Luke 1:37)

So we find, as evidenced by the lives of these four individuals, that to be servant-hearted, one must be obedient to God’s plan, humble to do things God’s way, faithful to carry on, and patient to wait for His timing.

                                             Lord, a life of service is the loudest praise
                                             that a child of Yours can give,
                                             for You’re not honored so much by words
                                             as by the lives we live.
                                            You said the love we express for You
                                             must be shown to our fellow man:
                                             living each day with a servant’s heart,
                                             helping wherever we can.
                                            Words of praise that flow from our lips
                                            will please You, Father Above,
                                            provided we faithfully do all we can
                                            to show others on Earth Your love.