A Spirit of Service
A Spirit of Service
“Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”
John 13:3-5
How can we develop a spirit of service within our circles of work? How can we inspire every employee to adopt the attitude of a servant? In John 13, Jesus shows us the most effective way for those who work to achieve this lofty goal. We are to set the example of service ourselves. We need to view ourselves as servants and demonstrate a servant’s attitude to everyone else. This is exactly what Jesus did. He taught His disciples to serve by serving them. He, the very Son of God Himself, their Lord and leader, washed their feet—the lowest task of the lowest servant of a household. Just as Jesus did, we should model the attitude of a servant toward every employee and every individual with whom we work with. We are to take on the very nature of a servant, embody it, and illustrate it on a daily basis (Ph. 5:7).
Remember what Jesus taught: the way to success is not through position, power, or authority, but through heartfelt service to others (Mt. 20:26-27). We will be successful in life, in work, and, above all, in Christ’s kingdom when we walk in our Lord’s humble footsteps of service.
Study Questions:
- Is it hard to see yourself as a servant to the people you work with?
- Is there a spirit of service at every level within your work?
- What is a specific way you can show servanthood on a daily basis?
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