A Servant Heart

I yearn to have a “Servant Heart.”  I want to be less about me and more about others.  I’m preparing lessons with the theme of “It’s Not About Me,” and I want to be able to reflect what I teach.  So, for lent this year I’m praying for a “Servant Heart.”

“A Servant Heart” brings me back to the legend of Merlin.  In the recent television series, “Merlin,” Merlin is King Author’s servant, and King Author considers Merlin to be an idiot, a dumb servant boy.  While Merlin uses his magic to save King Author in battle and in his many knightly quests, King Author looks like the hero.  In the end, as King Author is near death, Merlin reveals his secret and the king is shocked and scared.  The king wants to know why Merlin is a servant when he could have everything with his magic.  Merlin replies, “It is my destiny.”   It was Merlin’s destiny to serve King Author, the symbol of freedom, so they could defeat Morgana, the symbol of tyranny and evil.  It was the servant, Merlin, who destroyed (killed) Morgana, with King Author saying, “Peace at last.”  With peace, all in Camelot will not only have a peaceful existence with other kingdoms, but they will have the freedom King Author fought to give them.  At the hands of one with a “Servant Heart,” Camelot is freed from the threat of an evil and subjective ruler.

It was with a “Servant Heart” when Jesus was born in a humble manger, grew up as the son of a carpenter, ministered to sinners healing the sick and lame, and died on the cross for all.  He told his disciples, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45 NKJV)    And, the writer of Galatians writes in verse thirteen of chapter five, “For you brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”   As Christians we are called to serve.  Yes, serve, not using the freedom we have through salvation to build ourselves up over others, but to serve with love.   Let me repeat it again, “Though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more.” (I Corinthians 9:19)   I hope you get it; Jesus taught us by his example to have a “Servant Heart” and I want to have that “Servant Heart.”