A Servant’s Heart…

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus and the disciples leave the synagogue in Capernaum and head over to Simon’s house. In the passage just ahead of this, Jesus had just taught in the synagogue as one who had authority, and not like the Scribes! And if the reaction of the people wasn’t enough, he cast an unclean spirit out of a man in the synagogue. So, with his reputation beginning to spread like wildfire, Jesus retreated for some quiet time with his disciples. When they got to Simon’s house, Jesus was informed that Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever. Immediately Jesus went to Simon’s mother-in-law, took her hand, and lifted her up. She was immediately healed and she began to serve them.

Wow! She was healed and her immediate response was to serve Jesus and his disciples! Now I am sure that some would say that since she was healed she needed to get back to her place in the kitchen. Really? A miracle like this occurs and all they can focus on is gender stereotypes? Wow… Yes, back in those days, rules about women and “women’s work” were much different than they are today (in most places, not all sadly). But if you really study what Jesus was up to, you notice that women played a key role in his ministry.  And they weren’t there to simply cook and wash dishes! Ironic isn’t it, given the gender rules back then that Jesus first appeared to… Mary Magdalene? Not Peter… Not John… Not James… Not Andrew… He appeared first to Mary (see Mark 16, Matthew 28, and John 20)!

So I believe we need to examine what happened in that house from the perspective of Simon’s mother-in-law. She is in bed ill with a fever. Scripture doesn’t tell us how ill she was and it doesn’t appear that she was on death’s door. However, she was sick in bed and not able to care for herself or for anyone else. Jesus immediately went to her, had compassion on her, took her hand, and literally lifted the fever from her. And how does she respond? How does she say thank you to the one who healed her? She serves him… she simply serves him… with her whole heart, I would imagine.

The term servant often times conjures up bad images.  During the slavery days, a pleasant euphemism used to describe slaves (those who were owned by another and had ZERO freedom) was servants. Even today, I find people talking about “back in the day” how these folks were servants, not slaves. That is another topic for another time though. The point is, the term servant often is not an image that people like, especially in the “every person for themselves” attitude of today, where I hear people say, “I report to NO ONE!” and “I am my own person, beholden to NOBODY ELSE!”

Being a servant is not a bad thing and Jesus himself shows us that. Who was it that performed the duty normally done by a servant when the disciples feet were washed at the Last Supper? Jesus was the one who served the disciples. Jesus shows us what it means to have a servant’s heart. His was a heart filled with love for God and love for others. Even hanging on the cross in excruciating pain, he was serving others. He looked to his mother and to John his disciple and said — “Woman behold your son!” and to John he said, “here is your mother.”  From that time forward, John took Mary into his home and cared for her as a son would his own mother.

One of the greatest joys (besides exchanging our vows) that Denise and I had on our wedding day was celebrating the Lord’s Supper. We led the liturgy and then served our guests the bread and the cup. It was a powerful experience for both of us (you can see the radiant joy on Denise’s face in the above picture). Typically, in the many weddings I have officiated at through my years of ministry, it has been all about the bride (and sometimes the groom). We were very specific when we planned our wedding though. We wanted to ensure that it was a service of worship, glorifying God and celebrating God’s love for each one there, and concluding with Communion. Oh and by the way, some vows would be exchanged. We found the greatest joy in serving the Lord’s Supper to our guests!

That is what I believe Simon’s mother-in-law discovered as well. Jesus had healed her and the first thing she wanted to do was thank him through her service. How do we respond to God in our lives? Is God the cosmic bellhop to whom we are constantly saying, “Lord, I want this” or “Lord, I want that”? Or do we live our lives as a grateful response to the one who created, redeemed, and sustains us?

The Servant Song by Richard Gillard says it quite well and I will close this blog with his lyrics. How will you choose to serve the Lord this day?

Will you let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I might have the grace
To let me be your servant too

We are pilgrims on the journey
We’re together on this road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load

I will hold the Christ light for you
In the night time of your fear
I will hold my hand out to you
Speak the the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping
When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we’ve seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven
We shall find such harmony
Born to all we’ve known together
Of Christ’s love and agony