Ever Experience a “Maritime Traffic Jam”?

The Redemption of the “Maritime Traffic Jam”

The Discipline of Service

Discipline of Service – Notes

Big Idea: Servanthood is a pure expression of Jesus-Centeredness

X2: Servanthood becomes normal as Jesus becomes central

Let’s see if we can glimpse a holistic expression of true servanthood…

#1: Serving and Servanthood are not necessarily the same thing

• Key Factor: My will… possible to serve with selfish/alterior motives.
• photo op, gain favor, appease guilt, expect favor in future, earn God’s love, etc.
• Service: We can still be in control / pick and choose important / biased / safe ways to serve
• Servanthood: forgoing the right to choose who and when we serve

#2: Being served can be servanthood

• “Martinon Traffic-jam”
• Maritime Culture: “Ready to help, hate needing help.” – creates paralysis
• Jesus-centeredness restores the dilemma: Jn the Baptist, Jesus/Peter’s feet, Simon of Cyrene, etc.
• What if you could bless someone by letting them help you? Serve you? Provide for you?

#3: Servanthood can be what you don’t do

• Not just action – Gossip/slander -> encourage person to see person with issue
• True Servanthood says, “I will serve you even when you’re not around.”

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,
people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,
you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough.
Give the best you’ve got anyway.

You see,
in the final analysis it is between you and God;
it was never between you and them anyway.

     -Mother Theresa

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