A Picture of Christ

What does it mean to be a servant?

Sure, it means loving others, putting their needs above my own, humbly doing the unseen things. But, what does it mean to be a servant? Of course it means showing others Christ, washing feet, and providing a cup of cold water. But, what does it really mean to be a servant?

Several months ago now, when Sara and I were searching for a place to live we came across the house we currently live in. It was in our price range, and had certain characteristics we valued in a house, but it was in an area of town that some people said we shouldn't move to. An area of town with lower income families, poorer school districts and where people might not be as friendly. We made a conscious decision that we wanted to be in just such a place in order to serve and minister to others. So we began the process of buying the house.

As we were moving in we talked about wanting to be friendly neighbors. We wanted it to be obvious to those around us who we served. I wanted badly to find ways to show our neighbors around us a picture of Christ, at least a glimpse of his love, his grace and his compassion. So, we began visiting with some of our neighbors as we had opportunity, building relationships in hope we might get the chance to reveal the one we serve. Neighbors however, can be difficult because they are not always like me, don't always share the same values and don't always live for the same God. With one neighbor in particular it became obvious that it would be a little more difficult to get to know him. He's 33 years old with a wife and two kids but he's probably better described as a rebel. He's a mechanic who's into racing (I don't know the first thing about racing) and he is a little rough around the edges. For example, in our second conversation together he asked what I did for a living and I told him I was a minister at a church in Reidland. His immediate response was, "well brother, you're in the wrong neighborhood. I enjoy my drinking, smoking and having a good time." When I talk to him, he kind of leaves me scratching my head...

Then came a day like yesterday. We were laying down for some rest in the afternoon because we were tired from a long weekend of being at the ZOE conference (at which we even explored what it meant to be Jesus to others), when I heard some strange noises in our backyard. It sounded like some kind of engine rumbling back and forth. I got up, went to the window and peeked through the blinds. There coming around the corner on his lawnmower was my neighbor!

See, we were having some difficulties with our lawnmower and weren't able to mow the lawn the last two weeks. The grass had grown pretty well over that period of time and it desperately needed to be cut. Turns out this neighbor noticed we had been having trouble and decided to give us a hand by mowing our lawn, no questions asked. I was blown away. This man isn't a Christian, doesn't share the same values and doesn't live for the same God I do, but he's the one out on the lawnmower. All this time I've been wondering how I could show them a glimpse of Jesus, but in the end it is my rebel, smoking, tattooed, rough around the edges neighbor who revealed to me a picture of Christ!

Jesus came to our house yesterday, but he wasn't riding on a donkey. Instead he was riding a craftsman lawnmower!

Lord, make me a servant...