Today’s scripture: Luke 14:7-11 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):
My family and I had just returned from Christmas Eve service at the church. Mom was snuggled under a blanket on the couch when she matter-of-factly mentioned that she had observed my pastor vacuuming the carpets in the social hall before the service. She found it refreshing that the leader of our church was not afraid to roll his sleeves up and do what needed to be done.
I was not surprised at all. Over my 11-year journey with my church, I have observed my pastor emptying trash, sweeping floors, and doing any number of seemingly menial tasks that needed to be done. Although there may have been one or two sermons delivered from the pulpit about servant leadership, what sticks most in my mind are the behaviors that our pastor models for us. I am a firm believer that words mean very little — it is your actions that tell me who you are.
In our reading for today Jesus tells a parable that has resonated with me for many years. My first exposure to this verse came during an undergraduate class I was taking on the subject of leadership. Ironically, I was also going through a season of life where I believed that my spiritual gifts were being under-utilized by my church. Quite simply, I wanted to be up front.
I came to my current church home having already served as a minister, church leader, and preacher at my former church. So as I transitioned from one ministry to another I assumed that I should walk in the doors of my new church and march right up to the pulpit and sit with the other ministers in the place of honor and position. It didn’t take long for my pastor to sit me down and explain to me how things worked in, this, my new church home. He told me I needed to go back to school and take some time to learn about our denomination. As you might guess, I don’t know that I received what he said very well. However, I did enroll in school and it was in one of those classes where I learned about true servant leadership with Jesus as the ultimate model.
As I reflect back 10 years to my first days at Life Journey Church, I realize that I had fallen victim to the “head table mentality.” I had accepted the false idea that in order to serve God and lead others it must be done from the front and that somehow, by sheer virtue of my past experience, I “deserved” to sit at the head table. What I had to learn was that the real position of honor is at the back of the sanctuary with the ushers, the kitchen crew, and all the other workers.
Over Christmas break I had the opportunity to handle, as a deacon of the church, a crisis call from one of our congregants. It was all very private and handled quietly. After the Christmas Eve service that congregant came and found me and thanked me for what we, as a church, had done for her family. I was humbled and moved that she sought me out, but I felt the spirit of God reminding me that I was called to a life of service to God and that does not always mean being up front. It could mean touching someone’s life in ways that only you and God know.
Thought for the day: Why do I serve God and others? To be seen? Or to be a blessing?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.