Our Lord was perfect and constantly in unison with His Father. Seeking to be like Him is a task that seems impossible. But there are a few little attitudes of Jesus that are easier to adopt, and that’s a good place to start.
It is important to consider the context when we read a verse. When Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, we understand that this is a practice that applied to a specific group of people. Jesus did not wash the feet of everyone who came to meet Him, only the feet of His own faithful. It was those who were going to suffer with Him and who had followed Him during the last years to whom He said: “And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15 NLT). A concrete example of another saying of Jesus: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 NLT). We must use wisdom when placing ourselves in the position of servant, but taking this attitude, like Jesus did, can certainly transform our character positively.
If we take the attitude “I did not come here to be served, but to serve”, when we are in our workplace, what will it change? Instead of working for a salary and doing as little as possible for as much gain as possible, we will be an employee who participates in the success of their company. We may be less jealous of our colleagues’ promotions and less irritated when our boss asks us to do a task that is not on our usual list. That is also what the apostle Paul advised. “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24 NLT).
If we take the attitude “I did not come here to be served, but to serve,” when we are at our church, our local assembly, what will that change? There would certainly be no shortage of volunteers at the daycare! We will also be more alert to the needs around us, and we will be less likely to leave a church because the messages no longer resonate with us. In fact, we will be sensitive enough to be edified even while serving. We will be a source of peace and encouragement to our pastors, as Hebrews 13:17 (NLT) says. “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.”
If we take the attitude “I did not come here to be served, but to serve,” when we think about our governments, what will change? Instead of complaining and criticizing our decision-makers, perhaps we will take part in the change. Perhaps we will get involved in a community organization and be a light in the darkness around us. Instead of praying for God to change things, we will pray for God to use us to change things. As an individual, we are very small in our nation, but if we offer our skills to improve even our immediate surroundings, we will feel like we have done our part.
Finally, if we take the attitude “I did not come here to be served, but to serve”, when we are looking for a life partner, what will that change? Instead of making a list of what we are looking for in a partner, we will make a list of what we are willing to give to our partner. Oh! The list is very different! We will even take the time to choose a partner who will be grateful for our service and who may not ask for too much! Our vision will be long term, and not focused on momentary pleasure.
We must still remain wise when we take this position of servant. Sometimes you will have to learn to do nothing and stay at the feet of Jesus (like the story of Martha and Mary). But if we at least take the time to ask ourselves the question, in each context of our life, we will certainly be more like Christ, and at the same time, be much more serene.