When I was growing up, I had a wonderful friend; he was my best friend. His name was Charlie. He was part terrier, part schnauzer and a little bit dachshund. Our pets are very special, aren’t they?
I’m always amazed when I see service dogs – and the wonderful ability they have to help someone who’s visually or hearing impaired. These service dogs can even sense if someone’s going to have a seizure and are able to help someone with post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s so hard to resist wanting to pet them and give them some loving when they’re working (You can tell if they’re working because they’re wearing a vest).
This issue, our topic is how practicing the discipline of service and submission helps us gain spiritual enlightenment. That’s right, we can grow spiritually by serving and submitting to others. Jesus taught that the best way to go up is to go down. He taught his first disciples that the secret to becoming great is to become the servant of all – and he gave a very real example by washing the feet of his students.
Service is downward mobility in an upwardly mobile world. This is so contrary to the grain of our culture, isn’t it? Some of you will remember the term Yuppie – young upwardly-mobile persons. The expectation is to climb the ladder.
Service isn’t just a spiritual discipline; it’s a way of life. Believe it or not, living a life of service can be quite freeing. Here are some examples.
The discipline of service frees us from resentment. In service to others, we learn the secret that our significance isn’t dependent on our accomplishments alone, but it’s found in God.
There’s no hierarchy of values in service. One is not better than the other. We read in I Corinthians that there are many spiritual gifts – we all are given unique gifts – and we’re fulfilled when we’re using those gifts. One gift is not more important than another.
Whose service is more valuable? The preacher or the one cleaning the bathrooms? The business professional or the checkout clerk? The office worker or the gardener? When those faithful people give their service (whatever it may be), they discover their service is equally pleasing to God. One is not better than the other – as a result, resentment vanishes because we don’t have to compare.
The discipline of service also frees us from the need to be in control. Richard Foster wrote, “When we choose to be a servant, we give up the right to be in charge.”
I remember hearing a little girl tell her babysitter, “You’re not the boss of me!” That’s a motto in our world, isn’t it? But in service, I allow others to become “the boss of me.” We choose to make ourselves available; in doing that, we make ourselves vulnerable. That’s alright, because our security is found in a higher power.
The discipline of service frees us also from arrogance. If the practice of service can free those in low positions from resentment, it can also free those in high positions of arrogance. It’s easy for people in positions of influence to believe they’re more important than others. No one is better than the other. We’re all connected.
Sometimes we get the Superman or Wonder Woman syndrome. There’s a story told of a time when the great Mohammed Ali was traveling on an airplane. He refused to put on his seatbelt, saying, “Superman doesn’t need no seatbelt.” To which the flight attendant responded, “Superman doesn’t need no airplane!”
Now, let’s look at the word submission. We want things to go our way. We want people to see things our way. We want the traffic lights to turn green when we come up to them. Life isn’t always like Burger King – you can’t always “Have it your way.”
How do you respond when someone points out a fault in your life? Do you get defensive? Do you get angry? Do you begin listing all their faults? Or do you look at the truth of what they’re saying? Do you entertain the possibility that this person might not be acting “better-than-thou” but rather in your best interest?
As we’re all connected, it’s important to be open and accountable to each other. When we truly get this, we want those around us to succeed – because if they do, we do.
When I was taking piano lessons, I couldn’t say to my piano teacher, “I want to just play out of my favorite Rock with Jazz book.” No, I had to submit myself to the direction of my instructor, learning scales and chord progressions so that I would be able to better play the fun music!
So it is in our spiritual life. We invite God and others to hold us accountable and get our attention if we’re going down a dangerous path.
Let me give you a few hints to keep you on track in this spiritual practice:
1) Examine your heart and ask yourself if you’re doing something to please God or to please people?
2) Pay attention to your desire for recognition, appreciation and admiration. Humility is about taking your mind off yourself and focusing on the Higher Power.
3) Keep yourself open to how God will lead you to serve others.
4) Look at people through God’s eyes.
This helps us to grow in faith and love. There is freedom in service and submission. There are great rewards in giving service.
Gandhi said, “The fragrance always remains on the hand that gives the rose.” What roses are you giving out? Rev. Dan Koeshall is the Senior Pastor at The Metropolitan Community Church (The Met) in San Diego, California, themetchurch.org.
