Readings for today: 1 Samuel 27-29, Luke 17:1-19
I remember driving back from a weekend getaway in Boston with Kristi when it hit me. We had been married for three or four years. We had our ups and downs as we tried to figure out life together. Things got more challenging because of a heartbreaking pregnancy loss and a cross-country move. We were generally happy but I think we both felt like our relationship could be so much more. I remember looking over at Kristi as she slept in the seat next to me. I remember asking the Lord what I could do to make our marriage truly great. God gave me one word, “serve.” Serve her with all your heart and with all your might. Make it your goal in life to support, encourage, and empower her to be a strong woman of faith. Don’t be the stumbling block. Don’t let the temptation to be selfish get a foothold. When she’s hurting, drop everything to comfort her. When she’s angry and lashes out, let it all go and forgive her. When she succeeds, celebrate her for all she’s worth. Something changed in me that day. My attitude shifted. My perspective changed. And our marriage has only gotten better and better over the years. All because I dedicated my life to serve.
In the reading from Luke’s Gospel today, Jesus is teaching His disciples a similar lesson. They are never to put a stumbling block in anyone’s way. They are never to let their anger, their frustration, their selfishness, their desires tempt those around them to sin. They are to forgive easily and often. They are to serve faithfully and selflessly. I love the disciple’s response…“Increase our faith!”…because it was mine that day in the car! How else could it happen? How else could I become the husband I needed to be? I’m only human after all. Of course, so were the disciples. Broken by sin just like all of us. Subject to the same temptations and pressures and anxiety that everyone else feels. They are not supermen. They have no spiritual superpowers. They do not have the strength or wisdom to be able to do what Jesus is calling them to do. So they cry out for more faith. More faith to believe. More faith to live. More faith to be the servants Jesus was calling them to be.
All of us need such faith if we are to serve. For it is only by faith that we can let go of our need for recognition. Our need to have our desires fulfilled. Our need to have our own needs met. True servant-mindedness and servant-heartedness lets go of these things. The true servant understands they are simply doing their duty. Doing what’s expected. They find joy in the act of service for they know they are serving a Master greater than themselves. Jesus is both Master and Servant. He came not to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. He refused to use His power and authority in demanding or coercive ways. He refused to repay evil for evil. In short, He never put a stumbling block in anyone’s way. He forgave easily and often. He served faithfully and selflessly all the way to the end of His life. And He didn’t need any recognition for it. He simply embraced it as His role in His Father’s divine plan.
Jesus expects the same servant-mindedness from His disciples. He expects us to cultivate a servant’s heart in every relationship in life. He expects us to give away our lives in service to others. And this, indeed, will take faith. More faith than we can ever muster on our own. It will take faith to work for no earthly rewards. Faith to set aside any earthly desire to be recognized for all we do. Faith to trust Jesus with all our needs. It takes faith to work for no other affirmation than to hear those words from Him at the end of our lives, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master.”
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 30-31, Luke 17:20-37