Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Choosing to Serve vs. Choosing to be a Servant

I am re-reading Richard Foster's book Celebration of Discipline as part of a leadership training course I am conducting with some guys in our church. I loved this quote from his chapter on service:
Right here we must see the difference between choosing to serve and choosing to be a servant. When we choose to serve, we are still in charge. We decide whom we will serve and when we will serve. And if we are in charge, we will worry a great deal about anyone stepping on us, that is, taking charge over us.

But when we choose to be a servant, we give up the right to be in charge. There is great freedom in this. If we voluntarily choose to be taken advantage of, then we cannot be manipulated. When we choose to be a servant, we surrender the right to decide who and when we will serve. We become available and vulnerable.
Foster is right on. There is a subtle, but significant difference between the two. The "way of Frank" is choosing to serve. But the "way of Christ" is choosing to be a servant. The farther I come, the more I realize I've got farther to go.

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