.....serve

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Philippians 2:5-7

In September 1880, D.L. Moody, the famous American evangelist, held the first of the Northfield Bible Conferences in Northfield, Massachusetts. Invited to the bible conference were over 300 visitors and among those that came to the Northfield Seminary for the conference was a delegation from Great Britain. 

As was their custom, each English guest put his shoes outside his room to be cleaned by the hall servants overnight. But of course this was America and there were no hall servants. Walking the dormitory halls that night, Moody saw the shoes and determined not to embarrass his brothers.  So, he mentioned the need to some seminary students who were there, but met with only silence or pious excuses. Moody returned to the dorm, gathered up the shoes, and, alone in his room, the renowned speaker began to clean and polish the shoes. Only the unexpected arrival of a friend in the midst of the work revealed the secret. 

When the foreign visitors opened their doors the next morning, their shoes were shined. They never know by whom. Moody told no one, but his friend told a few people, and during the rest of the conference, different men volunteered to shine the shoes in secret. 

Are you the type of servant who is ready to serve others in any capacity? Today in prayer, thank Christ that He humbled Himself to be a servant and seek to follow the Lord’s example. 

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” Matthew 20:26

- peter kennedy