I have a friend named Thomas. Thomas is a quiet guy who doesn't look for attention or status. He is a very humble man who is always behind the scenes. He is never upfront delegating tasks to people. In fact, Tom hates speaking in public. Yet Tom is one of the greatest leaders I have ever met. Whenever we are at a function or a camp, there is Tom, one of the first names on the list to get involved. And at the end, it's guaranteed that he is one of the last people to leave. If there is work to be done for God, Tom is there getting his hands dirty. Whenever I see him in one of those settings, he is always doing something (most of the time sweating and out of breathe). I've often seen him standing in a crowd chatting away to people when he looks around and sees something that needs to be done, like picking up a piece of paper, taking a dirty plate to the kitchen, packing away chairs, and he slips away from the group quietly and starts cleaning up. Many a time, those who see him doing this quickly follow suit and help with whatever needs to be done. These people are inspired and mobilized and clean up is done in no time.
Without Tom saying one word, my servant leader friend, influences other people to become humble servants. His example is simple yet powerful. He doesn't do it for applause or recognition; he does it because that's what Jesus would do. That why I say Tom is one of the greatest leaders I have ever met. He leads not by words but by action.
Jesus said, "The greatest among you will be your servant". He said that in His Kingdom the greatest one would be the servant of all. "The real test for a saint is not one's willingness to preach the Gospel, but one's willingness to do something like washing the disciples' feet – that is, being willing to do those things that seem unimportant in human estimation but count as everything to God".
We live in a world where people want to become something, achieve greatness, gain status, become recognized, receive praise, and maybe they want to achieve this all for God. Maybe we want to become that light that shines on top of that hill that the Bible speaks about. But sometimes to achieve this greatness we must look in the opposite direction. We need to turn away from what we think will make us 'something' for God and assume the role of a humble servant – maybe even striving to become a 'nothing' in the eyes of the world and look for nothing other than pleasing God.
The example that comes to mind is St. Mother Teresa. She became a 'nothing' in the eyes of the world, living and serving the poor of India the best way she knew how and in doing so, she became an 'everything' in the eyes of God, and so too in the eyes of the world. Now the name Mother Teresa is a house hold name. We even hear people say, "I'm no mother Teresa" when they screw up.
Jesus said it Himself, "You wanna become great? You wanna do great things? …then serve". You and I have the opportunity to become the greatest people in this world. All we need to do is serve one another in a way that pleases God. Remember; if you honour God - God will honour you!
When people look at Thomas and read about St. Mother Teresa, they'll see Jesus at work.
Reflection Questions:
- Do I know people like Thomas? How have their lives affected me?
- Do I want to please God or the world? Why?
- Am I willing to become a 'nothing' for God? Why?
- Where is God asking me to get Dirty Hands?
- When am I going to do this?
Prayer:
Lord, I will do anything that Your Kingdom requires of me. Wherever You want me to be, I'll go. Whatever the circumstances, I'm willing to follow. If You want to meet a need through my life, I am Your servant; and I will do whatever is required.
