An Attitude of Servitude

Featured post by Heather from Raising Mighty Arrows

Do you consider yourself to be a servant?

"Describe 'servant' to me," you say.  A servant, according to Merriam Webster's Dictionary, is one that serves others, especially one that performs duties about the person or home of a master or personal employer.

With that being said, I would dare say that most, if not all of us, are considered servants in one way or another.  As a Christian, I am a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.  As a wife, I am a servant to my husband; and as a mother, I am a servant to my children.  To be a servant of the Lord Jesus is the greatest title you and I can hold. 

Holding the position of a servant is never to be looked down upon, although in most cases, it is. However, to have the opportunity to be a servant of Jesus Christ means to have your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life and to be on your way to Heaven.  Being a servant of Jesus, like His disciples were so often called, means to be about the Father's business.  Even Jesus himself was a servant!  Luke 2:49 says, "And he (Jesus) said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"  What an amazing opportunity Mary had here to serve her master: "Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment" (John 12:3).

As a wife, mother, and homemaker, I have been blessed with a wonderful opportunity to serve as well.  Serving my husband and children does not mean that I hold a linen towel draped over my arm as I literally serve them their meals on a silver platter.  It doesn't mean that I stand outside the bathroom door with a towel ready to dry their hands after they've washed them.  It doesn't mean that I have a pan of water ready to wash my husband's feet when he comes in from work (although I'm sure he would love to receive this kind of treatment!).   Jesus, however, did humble himself this way when he washed his disciples' feet, and went on to tell us that He did so as an example for us to follow (John 13:4-15).  

Can you imagine how you would feel to have Jesus himself wash your feet?  What an honor and a privilege!  Did you ever think that maybe your own husband and children love you so much, that they actually count it an honor and a privilege that you serve them?  Likewise, we should count it an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to serve them. You see, God hand picked your spouse and children just for you. He could have chosen to give your husband, God's gift to you, to another woman; just like He could have chosen to give your precious children to someone else.  Instead, He put your particular family together.  Embrace that family!  Serve them with a glad heart.  As you go about your day cooking meals, cleaning bathrooms, folding laundry, sweeping floors, potty training, homeschooling, gardening, whatever it is you do all day, do it as unto the Lord! Sing a song of praise and offer up thanksgivings unto the Lord as you perform what is oftentimes viewed as a drudgery.

The Modest Mom shared a great reminder recently about our roles as mothers. It went like this:

Three Mothers

Once a woman came upon three mothers at work.
"What are you doing?" she asked of them.

"I'm doing the weekly washing," answered the first.

"I'm doing a bit of household drudgery," replied the second.

"I'm mothering three young children who some day will fill important and useful spheres in life, and wash-day is a part of my grand task in caring for these souls who shall live forever," replied the third. Only she had caught a vision of the great work she was doing.

From the book Soul Sculpture by E.F. & L. Harvey

O, that we could get a vision like the third mother.  Whether you are a mother or not, whatever your role is, let's take a different approach on the way we look at things.  Our attitudes effect everyone around us.  Just as the saying goes, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."  If we have an attitude of thankfulness, those around us will catch the same attitude. In like manner, if we have a bad attitude, grumbling and complaining about having to wash dishes for the third time this day, our children will catch the same bad attitude and it will spread like wildfire. 

Instead of complaining about the pile of dirty dishes, be thankful that you have a family to clean up after, be thankful that you have food to cook for your family, and be thankful you have the opportunity to sit down with your family; not just to eat a hot meal, but to make memories. Discipleship can take place at the kitchen table. You can learn so much about your family during this special time. As everyone leaves you to clean the mess afterwards (unless you've trained them to stick around and help!) play back the conversation and the giggles in your mind and smile about it as you put the dishes away.

While it may seem that all we do around the house goes unnoticed, it doesn't. In fact, if you'd like to try and prove me wrong, go a week or two without washing the dishes, doing the laundry, and making the beds. It may not even take that long for some of you!  Either way, it will definitely be noticed that you've stopped serving your family.  Let me encourage you to press on in your daily routines and to do it with an attitude of servitude!

Heather is a minister's wife, mother to two small toddlers, and homemaker, to name a few.  She joyfully serves the Lord along side her husband in their community as they have recently started a brand new work in a small church.  They seek daily to disciple their children as Christ followers and are striving to train them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  She shares encouragement at her blog, Raising Mighty Arrows.

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also shared at {Titus2}sdays and Domestically Divine