Make Me a Servant

Bishop Seniour always said that the difference in the prodigal son from when he left and when he came back was that when he left his attitude was "give me" and when he came back, his attitude was "make me".

Whenever I hear the song "When God Ran" or I read that story, I remember that comment from my very first UPC Pastor, a man that still influences my life to this day. The attitude of the prodigal son "make me a servant".

I guess that that song and that thought is what's in my head and heart today as I go through my day. I had a conversation with a friend last night about being a servant and serving people.

How do I serve a person without putting them on a pedestal? Or do you? And how do you serve without demeaning yourself?

I see imperfections in people, believe me, I usually prefer my dog and tarantula to most humans. But at the same time, I know I am out here first and foremost to help with a ripe harvest of souls in Idaho Falls. That I am a servant of God and my church.

Serving my pastor is the easiest sometimes. Making coffee, making sure the sound system is on when church starts. Doing my best in the sound booth although it is not my favorite job in the world. Lifting him and his wife up in prayer every day. And never down talking him ever.

But how do I serve others in the church? How do I build up the other leadership? Male or female how do I serve without seeming that I am demeaning myself.

I'm straight up not a feminist. I believe that God created men and women differently with different strengths and weaknesses. We are wired differently to complement each other. And a man is the leader, a woman is not. (But a man is a complete idiot not to listen to the advice of a woman and consider it because she will see something differently than he does and perhaps something he missed)

The thing is, I am figuring out how to build up the other leaders in church. For someone with my views it may seem as a complete contradiction that I am a department head, but I am under submission to my pastor which makes all the difference in the world.

So how do I serve? How do I build up without tearing down? How can I encourage someone without nagging?

I guess that's a new journey of discovery for Sister Naomi as she enters her 30th year.