being a servant

 "I am the Lord's servant, & I am willing to accept whatever He wants." Luke 2:38



This is Mary, the mother of Jesus, speaking to the angel, Gabriel, just as she is told that she, a virgin, will conceive & carry the child who is the son of God.

Remember Mary is considered to be in her teens when this happens.

This virgin conceiving a baby w/o a man was a never-before-heard-of thing when Gabriel springs this on her.

But that being the case, Mary still says she's good to go with being the mother, however it happens.

She says she is in a serving role with the Lord, so whatever He has in mind, she's down with it.

Pretty amazing for someone in their teens.


In the last 5 years, I think I've learned some things about being a servant.


Our success orientation toward being a servant is not correct.

     Lots of the time, if we're doing what the Lord wants, we may not see the outcome.

     Also, the results of us being & doing what He wants often don't show any results, successful or not.


Servants don't have a say in what's going on - they serve - they don't have input into the situation.


People who serve sometimes are not understood.

     Sometimes being & doing what God leads us to be & do is sometimes not supported or understood by our friends, family, authenticators, influencers, or encouragers.


A servant is often clueless as to the details of their service.

     They just serve - they don't get to ask who, what, where, when, or how.

     They may not ever know the reasons behind what they're told to be & do until they get to heaven & see the big picture.


Sometimes what a servant is directed to be & do is scary, seemingly impossible to pull off, &/or doesn't make any sense.

     But as a servant, one who is under the direction of someone else, is still obedient in the face of those obstacles.


"No" is not in the vocabulary of a servant.

     Servants are good to go with whatever they are mandated to be & do.

     We tell the Lord that we are His to command, & that we'll be & do whatever it is He wants.

     It is understood that then deciding to not be & do it is off the table.


We are not responsible for the consequences of our obedience - God is.

     Our only responsibility is to continue to say yes - God both precedes & follows us (Psalm 139:5).

     Iow, God is preparing the way, & mopping up behind us.


That's just some of what I think are the implications of being "a servant of the Lord."


And, trust me, if you ever hear someone say in a sanguine or super holy voice, "All I want to be is a servant of the Lord" usually hasn't ever been one!