"I just do what I'm told. They tell me to clean the bathrooms - I clean the bathrooms."
Smiling, as always, he waved his hand toward those entering the auditorium and leaned closer. "They have no idea what goes on behind the scenes - what it takes for the church to be ready for worship."
He would never say what I would have added, "I volunteer to do this every single Sunday, and yet they treat me like I'm a servant."
You know it's true. We complain about everything.
The room is too hot or too cold. We don't like the music. They ran out of bulletins. Someone forgot to buy flowers. There's candle wax on the carpet.
If I'm going to be a servant, should I also have to endure the ingratitude of those I serve?
"I've voluntarily cleaned bathrooms, too, but with much less joy and humility," I admitted, "Especially when I was scolded for not doing it correctly."
"I've heard that we'll know we are truly a servant when someone treats us like one," I continued.
"My behavior didn't betray me, but my heart has shamefully revealed just how lacking my servant attitude can be."
Turning his gaze toward the table of Communion elements he'd been responsible for preparing, he responded, "Some say they serve others for Jesus, but I say we serve others with Him."
"Jesus doesn't need me to do anything. I'm the one who needs Him."
Of course.
Serving in humility is not humility at all if I wash toilets or wash feet because I believe I"m doing it for Him, but when I know Jesus is already there and I'm simply invited - allowed even - to be down there with Him can I even come close to practicing true humility.
Humility is not in what I do - not even the cleaning of toilets is humble service if I think the Lord needs me, when I can't even be humble without Him.
Every Wednesday, Ann hosts "Walk with Him" - a community - all posting a spiritual practice that draws us nearer to God's heart. This week Ann asks us to consider the practice of humility. Would you join this community and share?
Photos: Beauty berry blooming and bearing fruit deep in the thickets where no one sees...
