What does it mean to be a humble servant? Why does it even matter if we help others? When I first heard the term humble servant, my first thought was to be a good person. The Bible tells us to be kind and caring to other people. Being a good person brings us closer to God right? Not really. The Bible says that there are no good people.
Romans 3:10 NASB as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;
It took me quite some years to see the full benefits of what it meant to be a humble servant. When we serve others out of the kindness of our heart, it makes us feel good inside. Being a humble servant does more for ourselves than it does for the person that we are serving. When we serve others, we condition ourselves to be Christ-like. Remember the good feeling that overtakes your heart and mind when you serve others? Through your service, you are doing what God wants you to do; serve others.
What is a humble servant?
First off, serving others should be done with no strings attached. When we expect something in return for our good deeds, then we are truly not being a humble servant. When we humble ourselves and put others needs before our own, we are fulfilling Jesus' example of a humble servant.
One of the best examples that I can think of to show this type of service is when Jesus washed the feet of the apostles. Back in Jesus' day, the lowest of the servants would wash the feet of their masters. In this example, Jesus was showing the disciples how to show humility and servant-hood towards each other. By washing the apostle's feet, Jesus demonstrated that no matter the task at hand, we are to serve others and be humble.
John 13:15 NASB For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
What better example than this to demonstrate the importance of being a humble servant. Not only did Jesus serve others, but he told us to do the same.