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The question is, how do compassionately serve others by having servants? We must understand what does it means to have a servant heart,” we must first learn what a servant is. A servant is a person who meets the needs of others. A servant is an individual who puts themselves under submission to another. A servant is different from a slave in that a servant’s loyalty to one’s master is voluntary, but a slave’s is not. Every slave is a servant, but not every servant is a slave. In Christianity, we are called first to each other. "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" James 5:16 (NKJV).
Also, we must serve selflessly, humbly, give of ourselves without expecting anything in return. Having a true servant's heart and expressing unconditional love for God those we serve. Desiring and wanting to bless others with the overflowing of that love. Now, you can ask yourself how well you serve others and what do you use as your guide? Everyone faces the problem of meeting their felt needs by their own solutions and defense and escape mechanisms (i.e., the things people do to protect their self image or how they want to people to feel about them). Rather, our need and responsibility is to trust the Lord for our acceptance, ability, production, and strength. Based on biblical values and truth, we must, by faith and an act of our will, firmly reject the goal of seeking to serve our own needs and adopt the goal of becoming servants of others like the Lord.
Understanding the Power of Servanthood: Servants love gets messy, it requires us to strip off our hard-won religious robes and replace them with the garments of humility, naked vulnerability adn servitude. Servanthood means that all we have and all we are is placed at our disposal if it will bring us into the presence of God. Servanthood is not about how we can add value to our life, but about how we add value to ours. Compassion is the motivating factor behind the miraculous, but the compassion of the heart is triggered by the perception of the eye. Servants have to be "moved" before one can react, most of us are never moved because we move too fast. Servants see needs through Jesus Eyes, by allowing the Word of God to reveal how the world, people, cities and nations do with compassionate eyes. Jesus also looked at people through eyes there were extraordinarily sensitive to ther hidden needs of peole around Him. One of the major dimensions of true servant heart is being able to discern that which is not obvious, because discernment is one of the most important gifts God gives us as His children. Because, servants of God who serve others with a good attitude despite mistreatment, misunderstanding and wrong committed against them receive God's visible favor and divine blessings. This principle is evident in the lives of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel and even Paul. They understood all it took for the ordinary to become great in God's kingdom is a true servant heart and the ability to stay focus to their purpse while abiding in His presence. "Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others" Philippians 2:1-4 (NKJV).
Self-centered living or seeking happiness from the world rather than in the Savior and His purpose and call on one’s life is another cause for failing to live as servants. This naturally results in a lack of commitment and in wrong priorities and pursuits which will leave little or no time for the Lord or ministry to others and the body of Christ. Learning to live as a servant naturally begins by following the Lord Jesus. As believers who are to follow in the steps of our Savior, it is important that we focus on Him because He was and is the epitome of humility, maturity, and leadership. That which most uniquely characterized Him was servanthood. Even now, though seated at the right hand of the Father as the glorified Lord, He continues to minister to us as our Advocate and Intercessor and Head of the body of Christ. This is tremendously significant especially in light of who He was and is. With this in mind, let’s review the following truth. If we are really following the Lord, we will be seeking to serve men. If we are not seeking to serve others from pure motives, then we aren’t following the Lord, at least not closely. Christ told His disciples, whom He wanted to follow in His steps. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" Mark 10:45 (NKJV). In the supreme act of service as our Great High Priest, Christ offered Himself on the cross as the sacrifice for the sins of the world and remains seated as our Advocate before God. Knowing and being confident of His identity, knowing why He was on earth as the servant who must die for our sin, focusing of the rewards of the future, and acting out of a heart of infinite love, Christ washed the feet of the disciples. This was a symbol of the service He continues to perform for us in the daily cleansing of our sins even though He is the risen and exalted Lord. "Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?" John 13:7-12 (NKJV).
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