Modeling the Role of the Servant
By Pastor Chuck Swindoll
The Greatest Life Calling
“There is no greater calling in life, in all of the careers of life, than being a servant of others. If there were a greater calling, Jesus would have filled it. But when He came, having left heaven to be on this earth for less time than most of us are old, never married, passed up many, many, many occasions to make a name for Himself, and gave Himself for three years and a few more months to giving and to serving, so that we might know life as we would otherwise never know it.”
Thinking of Yourself Rightly
“Being a servant, being humble is not thinking lowly of yourself. It’s, as he puts it, thinking with sound judgment, knowing who you are, accepting who you are, and being who you are without any pretense, without any desire to promote yourself, just operating as God has allotted to you the giftedness He has given you.”
Humility is Unannounced
“First, I want to say humility is unannounced. Jesus got up from supper, laid aside garments, girded Himself with a towel, poured water, began to wash feet. Not a word! No, ‘I am now going to illustrate what it means to be the servant that you’re not.’ None of that. By the way, the first time you call attention to humility, it immediately turns to pride. So if you plan to be a servant, don’t spend too much time working on the speech. Just serve. Just wash.”
Humility Doesn’t Play Favorites
“Humility doesn’t play favorites. He also washed Judas’ feet. You ever thought about that? When Judas went out into the night, he went out with clean feet. Being a servant means you don’t play favorites. You’re not selective, you’re not exclusive. You serve whoever needs to be served.”
Humble People Receive from Others
“Humility is being willing to receive without embarrassment. Peter needed to learn how to receive. The smarter you get, the harder it will be for you to receive from anybody else. The more capable you are, the more difficult it will be for you to let someone else serve you.”
Additional Resources
First, sign up for our Chuck’s Insights on Ministry email where we bring you his best thoughts on preaching, leadership, and ministry each week. By signing up, you’ll instantly receive a one-page checklist with 20 preaching insights from Chuck. See this page’s sidebar.
Second, check out our new Preach The Word articles and video series on YouTube where we’re teaching Chuck’s best insights on this important calling.
Third, listen to Chuck’s messages to those in ministry through our Seminary Chapels page. For decades, he offered students at Dallas Theological Seminary his best thoughts on church leadership and ministry. Now, we have put them at your finger tips. Also, you can find them through this YouTube playlist we created for you.
Fourth, if you don’t own a copy of Chuck’s book on preaching, Saying It Well, we highly recommend you add it to your library. It’s his preaching memoir that is also like a practical preaching manual. You won’t be able to put it down.
About the author
Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Pastor Charles R. Swindoll has devoted his life to the accurate, practical teaching and application of God’s Word. He is the founding pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, but Chuck’s listening audience extends far beyond a local church body. As a leading program in Christian broadcasting since 1979, Insight for Living airs around the world. Chuck’s leadership as president and now chancellor emeritus at Dallas Theological Seminary has helped prepare and equip a new generation of men and women for ministry.
