Servanthood isn’t glamorous.
Most people agree that humility is valuable, servant leadership is key, and everybody is generally a “good person.” We may even claim to want more humility, but our anxiety says otherwise.
Christians are called to pursue Jesus’ example as a servant (Matthew 20:28; Philippians 2:7). But, while we desire humility and servant-heartedness, we also want personal freedom, convenience, success, and a rock-solid identity. These competing desires cannot coexist.
So, what is true humility and servanthood?
At best, servants are not respected nor adored. At worst, servants are seen as push-overs, people who don’t value themselves enough to pursue their own self-interest. When you seek servanthood, you give up your version of success or freedom. Think about how Jesus pursued humility:
Jesus risked His life. He gave up anything worth grasping, became a servant to His creation, and died in obedience to the Father’s will (Philippians 2:5–11). There is no greater example of humility.
Humility is not concerned with ways to preserve or exalt reputation. We often feel the pressure to curate our identities with our clothes, homes, interests, intellect, and even the places we serve.
Consider Paul’s resume. He was a well-educated Roman citizen. He planted churches and preached to crowds, governors, and kings. He even wrote nearly half of the New Testament. And yet, he refers to himself as a servant in his letter to the church of Philippi (Philippians 1:1).
Remember the context: Paul is writing to a church in a city where people calculate every detail of their lives to reinforce their status. But Paul doesn’t lead with the title that would garner the most credibility to his authorship: an apostle of Christ.
Paul held unique spiritual authority as an apostle, yet he chose the lowliest designation for himself to magnify the worth and supremacy of Christ: a servant of Christ.
Humility means patience and surrendering to God’s enduring plan. Powerful forces threaten to keep us from continuing in faith. Even our hopes, dreams, and desires often keep us from pursuing the eternal mission Jesus has given us.
In Acts 1:6–8, the disciples ask when Jesus will restore the political climate as they had hoped. But Jesus has a bigger plan in mind—a global mission to tell the world about Himself.
This life was never about us getting our way right now, but always about Jesus being the blazing center of the universe for eternity. Our greatest joy is when we fix our eyes on Jesus and look ahead to the greater things to come that are bigger than ourselves.
Humble servanthood is not glamorous. It’s risky, lowly, and long-suffering. But it’s the example of Jesus, and the path to true freedom.
Want to dive deeper into humility and servanthood? Check out our sermon series guide on the book of Philippians, or watch the first sermon of our Philippians sermon series.
