Thinking about being a servant

Once a month I have the privilege of leading a women's bible study group. This month, I was drawn to the topic of servanthood. As I lay sleepless, the Lord impressed some thoughts upon my heart and mind; one being that Jesus was our supreme example of servanthood. That alone is no big revelation, we all know that to be true. I remember the children's chorus that I use to sing as a child, "Every where he went, he was doing good. His very attitude blessed the multitued, every where he went. When the crippled saw him they started walking, the dumb were talking as they should. Every where he went, my Lord was doing good." Scripture is full of our blessed Lord's wonderful deeds, acts of amazing deliverance. But, one of the ones that stood out to me for this lesson was somehow more indicative of Jesus' human ability - it didn't take a miracle. His service to Zacheus was something any one of us could do. As the Lord was walking one day, he saw a little man up in a sycamore tree. He stopped, looked up and said, "Zacheus, you come down for I'm going to your house today." Now old Zach was rather amazed that Jesus would take the time to spend the day with the likes of him, a tax collector. But he didn't hesitate to scramble down that tree and lead Jesus to his house. You see, old Zach had a spiritual hungering - he was dissatisifed with the way he was living his life. He was under conviction. He knew he wanted a change, and Jesus knew it too. The problem was Old Zach had a "reputation." He didn't have many friends, if any. What he needed was someone to listen to his heart's concerns. Someone he could pour his heart out to without fear of being laughed at or scorned to embarrassment. Old Zach had cheated his way to the place where he was at the time. I don't think many would have believed that he would want to change. But Jesus knew he wanted to change, and Jesus was into helping people change (that's where the miraculous comes in). Now remember, we're talking about being a servant. That day, Jesus served Zacheus by listening. Listening is truly a lost art form. People are too busy, too caught up in their own lives to take time to really listen to others. You and I can be servants of Christ by lending a listening ear. Something so easy, sitting with a friend, lending an ear. Letting someone unburden their heart without interruption, without admonish, without trying to solve their problems, without feeling that we have to share our opinions of the matter - just listening, supporting, validating their feelings. Jesus sat that day and listened to Zacheus pour out his regrets, his ugly deeds, his selfishness, and his desire to spend the rest of his life making up for all the hurts, wrongs and disappointments he had caused others. And Jesus did not judge him, he encouraged him by listening. By the time Zach had relieved himself of the burden of guilt, he was encouraged to go forth and confess Christ - the good listener. How long has it been since you have taken the time to sit and listen to someone with a heavy heart? Think there's nothing you can do for Christ? Being a servant can be as simple as lending your ear. Just taking a few moments to let someone unburden the weight of care they carry can give them the courage to keep on keeping on for Christ. Or, it might just give that person the courage to turn their life over to Christ. All because someone was willing to listen. Think about old Zach as you go through your day today. And I am wishing you some blessed moments of servanthood listening!