The Greatest

"Not everybody can be famous. But everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service." - Martin Luther King.


Dr King was referring here, of course, to Jesus' words from the gospels (Matthew 23), "the greatest among you will be your servant". Dr King was indeed made famous, the prominent spokesperson for African American civil rights campaigners in the sixties, as the man of the hour in the height of the struggle against racial segregation. I am afraid, to my shame, that my knowledge of him is limited to the kind of trivia you may pick up from the back of a beer mat or a children's "book of facts". I know enough to know he was a great man of god. I also know enough to know he was a flawed and human character. I also know he spoke with great, great bravery and courage and I know the power of god was laying heavily upon his words. I cannot tell you if he sought prominence and fame for its own merit, I cant tell you if he was given over to the vice of vanity and pride, if he loved to be "greeted with respect in the market place" or if he loved to have the place of honour at banquets. But I can say that he was indeed great despite being famous. He was great for the very reason he gives here, he served his people, and in helping to bring dignity and respect to the disempowered and discriminated against black communities of  America he served that whole nation as he gave towards all communities not only having the joy of respect but the joy and peace of respecting their fellow men. The problem was not solved, or anywhere near it, but it was vastly improved because of his service. Martin Luther King Jr gave himself fully to the cause. He knew the risk and in the face of it, like Christ himself, he counted himself nothing. As he said, eerily, in his final speech

 Like anybody I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do Gods will....And so I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!

I just want to do Gods will. Isn't that amazing. At 6:01 pm the next day he was shot dead on the second floor balcony of his motel.

It struck me as I read this quote this morning, posted by a friend on facebook, that I am not sure if I have ever really believed what Jesus said, to be true. I don't mean that I dispute the truth of the statement but rather that I doubt my belief in it, my commitment to it. Jesus, in the same passage, challenges both Rabi's and the disciples together when he says;

But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.  And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.
 

 If I am honest, laughable as it may be to those of you who know me in person, I crave recognition. It is a weakness and a temptation that I am very aware of. In the same way I am wary around those who smoke certain illegal substances, for fear of falling (somehow) back into that horrific pattern that ruled my life, I am also wary around this subject. The truth is, however, in the circles of church culture I have moved in, I see a few individuals who respect and uphold this principle but a great deal more who pay lip service to it at best. I intend no criticism here that does not land squarely on my own lap too.

There is a celebrity culture in the church just as much as in the world. People speak of famous preachers in reverential tones, they hold "Pastors" somewhat in awe. I am by no means saying these people are not worthy of respect. But the principle Jesus operates within clearly shows us that the true place of honor given to them in terms of Gods kingdom, is in the spirit of service with which they preach, or pastor or pray or prophecy. Paul says, in his "parts of the body" metaphor in 1st Corinthians that we are to treat the parts of the body that are shameful with greater honor. I have a feeling that those who are going to graduate with honor on the great day will be those who did what they did, whatever they did, with their whole heart for God, in service to him and his people. All other motives and "honours" will burn in the flames.

What would my life look like if I sought to serve others before I sought to serve my own reputation. What would it look like If I sought to honor Jesus before I looked to gain honor through my association with him. Would there even be a blog?  I don't think fear of having mixed motives should stop us serving him. We are covered in his grace, after all, but I think we need to, as much as it depends on us, examine our motives and remember that the heart can be "deceitful above all things". That's why we need his word to judge it by, that's why we need the insight of the Holy spirit, in all we do. We should bring him our lives and our supposed areas of service and say "Lord if there is any offencive way in me, put your finger on it now, unite my heart that I might praise you in a worthy manner".

Jesus after he had washed the feet of the disciples told them to do likewise. He said "No servant is greater than his master". Guess what? The master has just done the most scummy job in the house! What then should we be doing? I know I am guilty of, much of the time, wanting the praise of people over the praise of God but the praise of people is fickle and unsatisfying. Mankind looks on the outward appearance. Sometimes that outward appearance is the the false impression we try to create of our inner life. The Lord looks on the heart. God will not be mocked. We reap what we sow . If we sow to our sinful significance craving nature we will reap from that nature a type of spiritual death (I mean a "dead" fruitless area in our lives) but if we sow to the serving spirit we will reap from the spirit life and health and peace. The praise my heart really longs for is that final phrase "Well done good and faithful servant". I want to be able to say with Martin Luther king, "I'm not fearing any man" and "I just want to do Gods will".

                                           

All on the line

                                 "I am the Lord’s servant"~ Luke 1:38

Advent Blog; Day 10


Mary stood to lose everything. She was not just trusting God that a miracle would happen, she was trusting God that when that miracle happened  that she would not become a social outcast, a burden on her family, untouchable and without means. It was likely for such a woman in these circumstances that her best option would be prostitution. This was no joking matter for a young woman in this culture, in these times in history.

If this went wrong she was up the creek.

If this went wrong she stood to lose her fiance. She knew him to be a decent and Honourable man, which is great, but potentially meant he would want no shame and dishonour by being coupled with her. If she felt like this this she was justified. Matthews gospel tells us that Joseph had it in mind to divorce her quietly. This was about the biggest kindness she could expect and, in context, it was a deep kindness and not one without risks for Joseph. When Mary said "How can this be since I am a virgin?" She wasn't playing dumb. She literally threw her life at Gods feet with the faith that she showed. She put herself on the line wholesale. Her reputation, her family name, her financial means, her body itself. We see the nativity as something quite sweet. It was far from that.

Yesterday we said that Marys faith was clear thinking, that she did not shy away from the obstacles. She would have seen all these implications in an instant.

As modern believers we often try to work through the implications of a "calling". We worry weather it might mean a move, a change in financial circumstances, strained family relationships. We worry about whether we got it right or not.  As someone who has faced all these dilemmas and more than once been found wanting I am deeply impressed by Marys open and wholehearted embracing of Gods claim on her and his word to her. Jesus spoke of the good ground that received the seed, that wasn't hard and unresponsive, that didn't have the word snatched away, that didn't allow worry to choke it or get get deceived by other attractions, that didn't shy away when hardships came because it had no root. Jesus had been raised by a woman who knew how to receive the word of God, to tend it and give it root.

May our words and the response of our hearts to Gods word to us be like Marys. Lord may we receive with gladness, lay our lives at your feet, whatever the cost, and humbly receive the word which will save us.