Over Six Billion Served
Have you ever washed dishes for 186 people? It’s no picnic. The aftereffects of a picnic maybe. But we’re not talking about paper plates. No, we’re talking full-spread buffet with formal place settings. That means everybody’s got a salad plate, dessert plate and saucer along with a regular plate, two glasses plus a mug. And silverware? Don’t even get me started. Salad forks, dessert forks and iced tea spoons along with all the regulars. It’s like every single person has 12 utensils each! Now multiply that times 186. >>> Of course, to even wash that many dishes, you’ve got to climb into a special closet-sized, poorly ventilated room with an industrial-powered Hobart dishwashing machine that rinses every load at 180 degrees in order to kill all the bacteria. Just think what that will do to your hands when those plates come out steaming.
Did I mention the food? Scraps galore. Remember, this was some major culinary carnage, and you’re stuck with the remains: leftover lettuce plastered on plates, corn kernels glued into gravy globs, backwashed lemon wedges in lipstick-stained glasses. And did I mention that hunk of beef gristle that Grandma Gertrude spit out? All of it smells so lovely swimming around in your drain trough. It’s not a pretty picture. It’s a hot, steamy mess.
And I love it!
No, I don’t have some strange attraction to chewed-up veggie scraps. But I do have great memories of washing thousands of dirty dishes during my college summers at a Colorado dude ranch. Why? Because it taught me what it means to be a servant—and how much being a servant means to Jesus.
SEEING PAST SELF
For you, servanthood may not include washing any dishes (although your mom would be happy if it did). But the Bible is clear that God expects all of us to serve others—you know, do helpful things for them even if we get absolutely nothing out of it, not even a thank-you. It’s definitely what Jesus did. Need proof?
Paul said it best in Philippians 2:3-11. Here’s a portion: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (verses 3-7).
In other words, Paul says, “Get over yourself. Be like Jesus. He was God but He lowered Himself to serve lowly humans. His thanks? Death.” You see, Jesus was the ultimate servant. He was God, but He willingly suffered and died for us. Talk about humility! With Easter approaching, there’s no truth better to focus on.
But even while He was alive on earth, Jesus was all about serving others—in some radical ways. One of the best was washing the fungus-riddled feet of those former fishermen known as His disciples. Remember, Jesus was the God who created feet. Washing them was a lowly task normally performed by slaves—people who had no choice about being servants. (Check it out in John 13:1-17.) And when He finished, He told the disciples, and us, to do the same thing (John 13:15).
WHAT'S THE POINT?
All this talk about washing dishes and washing feet—it just doesn’t make any sense. That’s exactly the point! We live in a me-first world that’s constantly telling us to look out for No. 1. What’s in it for me? How can I get ahead . . . look cooler . . . get more for me, me, me? Face it, we’re all selfish. It’s just the nature we were born with.
That’s what makes serving other people like Jesus did all the more awesome. Servanthood is totally contradictory to everything around us, and even naturally in us. So it’s like a high-beam headlight shining its brightest in the pitch-black of midnight. It’s going to be seen, and it makes a bold, noticeable statement. Servanthood is sharing the love of Christ in action. And to someone who doesn’t know Him, it probably doesn’t make sense. “You actually want to help me mow my yard? What’s up with that?” Not only is serving other people obeying Jesus, it might give you a chance to explain how to have a relationship with Him.
SO WHO DO I SERVE?
Look around. The options are everywhere. Jesus spent a lot of His time reaching out to the outcasts: lepers, beggars, losers and sinners. You probably don’t know anyone with leprosy, but there are “rejects” in every school. Who comes to your mind? The loner who always eats by himself? The girl who never quite dresses in style? How about the teacher who everybody impersonates? Or the student with a disability? They may be some of the hardest, but the outskirts of your daily society are only the beginning.
Doing something sacrificial for a friend is a can’t-miss layup of servanthood, but it counts too. In fact, you can even tag-team acts ofkindness with friends to serve other friends or to reach out to somebody you see as different.
And don’t forget your own home. You really want to blow someone away with some unexpected service? No one’s easier to surprise in this area than your brother, sister, mom or dad. They see you at your worst, and you probably take them for granted. Now it’s time to show them some of Jesus in you.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Time to get creative. But the options for putting someone else first are endless. Remember Philippians? Start there with looking out for the “interests of others.” Pray about it and ask God to make you aware of others’ needs. He definitely wants to help you do what He’s asked of you.
Then ask yourself, “What is he interested in?” “What would she like?” For Lenny the loner, it might be inviting him to eat lunch. For Felicia the Fashionless, it might be loaning her that sweater she likes. Maybe it’s writing a note to a classmate or neighbor. Maybe it’s offering him a ride home from school or rebounding while she shoots hoops. It could be loaning him your new CD or paying for her burrito. Perhaps it’s going on a mission trip, serving at a homeless shelter or other ministries through your church.
At home, is there a job nobody likes to do? Taking out the trash? Cleaning the toilet? Either would be perfect. Maybe there are jobs you don’t mind: walking the dog, bringing in the newspaper, driving your sister to soccer practice. Go for those too. The key is putting someone else first.
Hey, there’s always dishwashing.
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