What comes to mind when you think of Jesus? Do you imagine the solemn Jesus teaching on the hillside, the joyful Jesus celebrating with friends at wedding feasts, or the angered Jesus who overturns tables at the Temple?
Amidst these varied images, do you also see Jesus the servant?
During worship, I often envision Jesus the Savior, who, in his role as a servant, gave his life as a ransom for mine. These contemplative thought experiments are a powerful way to search for Jesus’s heart. I will never forget when, as a high schooler, during devotional time on a mission trip to Guatemala, I was invited to close my eyes and imagine.
See the moment with me now:
You find yourself standing before the entrance to God's throne room. Before you run to enter God’s presence, you notice a servant sitting over to your right. Unsure of what to do, you look down and, for the first time, notice that you are dressed in rags, and filth covers your skin. The servant, though, is dressed in pristine white robes—so white you notice they almost sparkle.
Immediately, you are acutely aware of the inadequacy of your appearance and stature. Unsure of how to fix your appearance, you begin to grow desperate; anxiety begins tingling at your fingers, and your heart begins to race. You know one thing for sure: you cannot go through those doors looking like this.
Suddenly, you are startled to feel a gentle hand on your shoulder. The servant is beside you, beckoning you to the side. His presence alone allows you to take a deep, life-giving breath. He washes your feet, and gives you the clothes off his back in exchange for your filthy rags. Somehow, suddenly, your anxiety has turned to hope—almost instantaneously and almost inexplicably.
You have nothing to offer him in exchange for all he has just done for you.
He gently ushers you back to the door, and you know that now you are ready for whatever comes next. You are not afraid, and you are not alone. You have a friend in rags standing beside you who radiates peace and belonging in a palpable way. It’s hard to understand.
Jesus, the servant, does that for you. He exchanges his unblemished robes for your dirty rags and ushers you into God’s almighty presence. Then he celebrates your arrival.
I can worship and celebrate because Jesus the servant gave his life as an intercessory for mine.
Thank you, God, for Jesus the servant.