“Make me a servant, Just like Your Son, For He was a servant; Please make me one. Make me a servant, Do what You must do To make me a servant; Make me like You.”
As this first line would suggest, the only way we can serve selflessly, humbly, and zealously is by imitating the One who came to this earth for the sole purpose of rendering service to the whole world. Consider Paul’s words in Philippians 2:3-8. We are reminded that selfishness and pride will get in the way of us putting others before ourselves. If I am concerned chiefly about what I want, it will be extremely difficult to use my time, energy, and resources to do for another, especially when I know that my wants may not get addressed in the process. And yet, Paul says, “In humility count others more significant than yourselves.” The force of this instruction comes as we consider that Jesus did this very thing, “though He was in the form of God.” Jesus, by His very nature is significant and unique. Given the fact that Jesus is God, He deserves to be served, but He says of Himself, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28) What excuse is left for us?
“Make me a servant, Take all my pride, For I would be lowly, Humble inside; Giving to others With all that I do In love for my brother; Make me like You.”
As Paul explains the kind of mind Jesus’ followers ought to have (still in Philippians 2:3-8), we see that Jesus was able to be the kind of servant He was by letting go of what was rightfully His. He did not consider equality with God something He should prefer over serving His own creation. He did not allow phrases like “I deserve it” or “I shouldn’t have to” to keep Him from emptying Himself. Jesus did deserve Heaven and all the glory of being “in the form of God,” and He should not have had to give Himself for the people He created and who had rejected Him. Nevertheless, He gave up all the good He deserved to spare us the wrath we deserved. His humility and dedication were prerequisites, for consider the busyness of the life Jesus led. How often was Jesus giving to others? At the age of 12, we read of Him already focused on the work He came to do. (Luke 2:49) Jesus spent each day serving others in some way—do we? If we want to serve like Jesus, we will have to be willing to let go of the things we deserve (or at least we think we deserve) and to which we have a “right.” We will have to determine to be of service to others with every day God grants us.
“Make me a servant, Filled by Your might, And may all my labors Shine with Your light. Show me Your footsteps And what I should do; For now and forever, Make me like You.”
Consider Peter’s words in 1 Peter 2:18-24. We are reminded, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps.” The footsteps that Jesus shows us are ones stained with grief, burden, and mistreatment. If we are to serve like Jesus, we ought to be prepared to suffer like Him, too. This means we will “do good and suffer for it,” often times without the slightest notice or sympathy from the majority. Our serving may not even be accepted, let alone met with gratefulness. But it is against this dark canvas that the light of our Lord shines through us. We reflect the light He brought to this world “when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.” Therefore, if we are to serve like Jesus, our purpose and reward must transcend this life, and indeed they do, for we are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:17-18)