Sunday writing... 6/10/11... "SERVANT OF ALL"

Good morning!

The writing for today, "SERVANT OF ALL," talks about how as we grow into leadership roles, we must never forget how to serve.  The life of Jesus is the ultimate example of servanthood.  May we learn to be servants as well throughout our lives.

Blessings,
Jan and Corinne

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Today's Devotional:

"SERVANT OF ALL"

by

Jan Andersen

When we first get out of school and start working at a job, we often have to start at the bottom and work our way up if we desire to be in a management position.  It takes a lot of hard work and getting to know the inner workings of the workplace.  The lower positions may even seem like menial work, but without them the higher positions would have more difficulty getting things done in proper order or on an appropriate time table.  Each level of employment also may build on the prior level’s skills.  Without that experience at the entry level position, it also would be more difficult to fully understand its importance to the job as a whole and how best to organize and perform it.  Not all jobs have this type of hierarchical structure, but if they do it helps for the managers to have experienced some if not all of the lower levels of the job.  In fact, managers who can step down and fill the role of the positions beneath them are probably more effective managers.  If you can’t serve, you probably shouldn’t lead.

Some people feel they should be able to step right into a management position fresh out of school.  Others may have worked their way up, only to scorn the lower level work, feeling it is now beneath them to ever have to do that again.  Perhaps even middle level workers feel uncomfortable if a manager tries to step down to a position below them and tries to serve them.  But that is what our Savior, Jesus Christ did when he stooped down to wash the disciples’ feet, even though at first it made Peter uncomfortable.  Then Jesus instructed the disciples to do the same, to serve one another.

John 13:14   If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 

Even though he was still God, Jesus took on the ultimate form of a servant as a man who was obedient to the Father to the point that he was put to death on a cross and is now exalted in heaven. 

Philippians 2:6-11  Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 It is because of his sacrifice that we are saved, and because of that we are to try to be like Christ, a servant to all.  We are to serve one another, especially if we take on leadership in the church.  May God help us to be more like him, the greatest servant of all!

Dear Lord, we thank you for coming to earth as a servant to give us forgiveness of all our sins and the free gift of salvation.  Help us to be more like you every day, to be servant-leaders in your church and to the world as we witness to others of your unfailing love.  We bow our knees to you as we pray in your name,  Amen.

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Song:

MAKE ME A SERVANT

Maranatha

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Prayers are lifted up daily for 

you by the Devotional Writers 

and the Monthly Writing Staff

of Women's Focus Ministries.

Blog Writers:

Jan Andersen, Sandy Billingham, Carol Steficek,   

 Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward,  Karen Bennett, 

Collette Phillips, Cathy Friberg, and  Corinne Mustafa

Occasional Contributors:

Kathy Bireley,  Lynda Kinnard, Mary M. Wilkins,

Terri Baker, Beverley Napier, Kelly Dobyns

Glenna Williamson,  Shelly Keith, Amie Spruiell,

Lisabeth Lipp,  and Nandita Bhatnagar