I read a heartwarming story of a college basketball star (no name given) who stayed behind after the game to help with the clean up of empty cups and food wrappers. A fan posted a video and more than 80 thousand people viewed it. One person commented, “[The young man] is one of the most humble guys you will ever meet in your life.” It would have been more expected of that young man to go out and celebrate rather than to do clean up work.
That young man learned two words which are rapidly becoming non-existent in our culture: humility and service. And they go hand in hand. While beating the chest and wagging hands and fingers as though asking for and collecting applause are what is seen (and expected from the player), humility and service paint a different picture. While “thug-ball” and “stop-em-in-the-ground ball” and “how-much-money-can-I-make” ball is all the rage, off to the side is the humble one quietly doing his/her job with an attitude of a servant.
Oops, I said that wrong. I’m not allowed to call myself or anyone else a servant these days. It is demeaning. It is a slap in the face. It is misogyny. My one word response? Hogwash. It is not demeaning to be a servant. In fact, I’ll venture so far as to say we need it more now than ever. We have gone so far…down I might add…when we consider being called a servant is demeaning or any of the other adjectives you can use.
Me? I want that. After all, the One I gladly serve and call Lord, the Greatest Man who has ever lived or ever will live (Jesus) once said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Call me a humble servant. Please. There is no greater compliment.
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Please don’t forget to check out my review of Granger Smith’s book Like a River at my other blog, Cycleguy’s Spin.
I definitely agree with your assessment of the current culture as well as the lack of humility and service. Since my love language is service, I expect servant is an accurate and acceptable description.
I’m glad you agree Ryan. And I can see your love language in all you do.
Wow that is an awesome heart warming story. Bill, your last paragraph’s sums it up perfectly. Father, let us serve with a heart like Jesus. Help us to take on Jesus’s attitude of a humble servant, be happier when we serve and help rather than to be looking out for our selves and seeing what we can gain. Let us serve where needed in the shadows, not out where we receive praise for helping those in need.
The trouble with stories like that is I’d like to know who it is about. But then again…he probably wouldn’t want it known. 🙂 I want to have a heart like Jesus for sure.
I can’t think of a better compliment to be given than servant, Bill. May we be quick to serve God and others.
Blessings!
I agree Martha. That is also why true and good leaders learn to be servant leaders.
Now that you mention it, Bill, truth be told we hardly hear the word HUMBLE at all anymore, in any context …
Sadly that is true Linda. It is no longer seen as a virtue to model.