Posted

Sep 23rd 2007

Mood

Cheerful

Today's sermon was so inspiring, so I decided to reflect on what I heard. The title isn't the title of the sermon I heard today, but it's something you don't normally hear. Why should people focus on being a nobody?

Before the message, there was a video showing this guy, casually dressed walking down the street to meet some friends. There was dialogue speaking about taking opportunities given to us. The guy notices a lady with a car broken down needing help, but he keeps walking. There's a homeless man with a sign, and he walks by. An old man who looked like he was having a heart attack, and he just walks by him. A mom carrying a baby and a bunch of groceries to her car, with her other 4 year old son next to her having a tantrum, so she gets distracted and her groceries fall. He gives a weird look at her and her kids and keeps walking. A student carrying books accidentally drops them. As he's picking up his stuff, the casual guy walks over the pile he was trying to pick up. He ignored all these people who were struggling with very simple tasks, because meeting a few friends was more important to him.

The first thing mentioned was this: You are where you are because someone served you. I figure if you're actually reading this, then you have access to a computer and that's way better off than a lot of people of the world, not to mention you had people in your life teach you how to read. In today's message, we were reading from John 13:2-17, which was about Jesus washing his disciples' feet, only a few hours before he'd be arrested, and eventually killed.

Knowing he'd die soon, he didn't focus on himself, but on serving others. Back in the Bible days, washing a person's feet was done by the lowest of low servants (it's not a pretty job). Jesus, the Savior of the world, who was a somebody, the Son of God, with power to do whatever he wanted, chose to be a nobody and serve us.

Is it really so difficult for us to serve as well? Even in little things, like helping a stranger with groceries? If our friend was in the same situation, would we not help them?

But what makes us any better than another person? "I don't have time. I have more important things in my schedule to do." Trying to be a somebody often leads to prideful and selfish thinking.

That's one of the main reasons we don't serve others: we're too proud. We want to be somebody in this world, and what kind of somebody washes people's feet? In the Bible scripture mentioned earlier, Peter didn't want Jesus to wash his feet, because he knew that he'd have to follow his example, and that would mean being seen as a servant. A nobody. Jesus mentioned being betrayed soon, and yet he still washed feet. How many of us could serve the very people who betray and hate us?

Wherever we are in our life, we can serve others. That doesn't mean find every homeless person and throw every penny of your allowance to them. Make a habit of listening to people, helping people, giving, supporting and encouraging. Find opportunities to do these things for other people.

There is great reward in serving others, but don't just serve to get something out of it, otherwise it wouldn't be serving, now would it?

I'd appreciate comments. Lemme know what you agree or disagree with regarding anything I said.