Friday, 09 October 2009

• More Power Equals Less Prestige

  Mother Teresa held tightly to a conviction whilst she facilitated the on-goings of Sisters of Charity in Calcutta. She believed that the higher the position of leadership and authority one had the less prestigious one’s duties ought to be. This was a discipline of humility. To example this conviction Mother Teresa would scrub the bathrooms clean on her hands and knees. Even in her later years she continued this discipline and mandated it for those volunteering at Sisters of Charity.
  
  I think this is a great idea. How often do you hear of CEO’s doing janitorial work? When was the last time your boss did the tedious task always given to the unfavored employee? It would be nice to see this conviction in all those around us but that’s not how most people view the world or themselves. Many people think the higher you make it up the ladder of success the more prestige you deserve and the less crap (literally) you should have to put up with.
  
  Unfortunately, we sometimes see this in our faith communities as well. Too often our pastors are unwilling to do janitorial work or set up for the next event. It’s easy for leaders to think they are above certain tasks when they are the ones who should be leading the way in those tasks in an effort to exemplify servanthood.
  
  John 13:1-17 records Jesus, a teacher, treating his students (disciples), as though he were a house-servant. In their time and culture everyone had dirty feet due to the lack of closed-toe footwear and the overabundance of dusty terrain. It was customary to have one’s feet washed by a servant or a host when entering a home for a meal (or other occasion). People of prestige didn’t perform such a task because it was beneath them. Jesus didn’t care much for shallow customs though (like not healing on the Sabbath or washing ones hands properly before a meal). As Jesus began to wash the feet of his students one of them protested by saying “you will never wash my feet!” This is understandable. Peter, the student, was merely admonishing Jesus and saying that he was not suited for such lowly work, after all, he was Peter’s teacher! He was the L-RD and not some minute servant.
  
  Jesus responds in a gentle tone that must have come from his love and patience for Peter (Jesus seems to be the hardest on Peter through the gospels) by essentially saying “If you don’t let me serve you then you have no right being with me.” Of course Peter responds zealously sayings “Then wash not only my feet but my hands and head!” Peter is an extremist. Afterwards Jesus tells his students that he has set an example of service for them and they ought to follow his example and that if they do they will be blessed. At another point in his teaching Jesus settles a dispute amongst his students who are fighting over prestige by saying “If you want to be great then be a servant for even I, the Son of G-D, did not come to be served but to serve and give my life for many.” If you want to go up you have to go down. Perhaps this is where Mother Teresa got her conviction.
  
  We’ve all heard this before, but you can’t hear it too many times. Simple lessons are good lessons. We need the basics from time to time. For Christians, we have to learn to serve others no matter how low it may require us to go. If you are a leader then prove it with service. If you want to be a leader then serve until people follow. If you have a desire to be great then find humility by joining the saints in the bowl of a dirty toilet. As Jimmy Eat World says, “There’s no higher ground to stand than bottom of the pile.”
  
  What experiences have you had in positions of servitude?  What are some practical ways we can serve others in the world around us on a daily basis?
  

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