And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
When I read this passage, the qualities mentioned immediately reminded me of the perfect role model for servanthood—Jesus Christ. Although Jesus was God, he emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant. He also mentored and encouraged his disciples to be servants to each other, telling them and showing them that he "came not to be served, but to serve."
Paul encouraged and mentored Timothy on how to treat the people during Timothy’s ministry to the church in Ephesus. Paul knew it was not so easy to always be “kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness.” Timothy was like a son to him, and he wanted to help him serve the Lord and the people of Ephesus since he could not be there himself.
To be the Lord’s servants, we also have to empty ourselves in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Then we can be God’s hands and feet, serving him with a pure heart as we serve his people.
As hard as it may be to be the Lord's servant, many times it can be even harder to let someone else act as a servant to us. If we don’t let others serve us, we may be denying them the opportunity to serve God. In the words of "The Servant Song":
Won’t you let me be your servant;
let me be, as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant, too.
Marjie Mack
