What An Attitude of a Servant! (Luke 17:7-10 Attitude of a Servant)

Attitude of a Servant

But which of you having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, will say to him, when he is come from the field: Immediately go, sit down to meat: [8] And will not rather say to him: Make ready my supper, and gird thyself, and serve me, whilst I eat and drink, and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink? [9] Doth he thank that servant, for doing the things which he commanded him? [10] I think not. So you also, when you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do.

Jesus Christ gives his apostles a story giving them a right to be "masters" of a servant that He chose to be an example for them - even if it just a story - I believe there is a hidden humor in this Gospel - at least Lord Jesus let the apostles feel and experience how to be masters, to be masters even if it is just in a story made by the Lord.

"Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, 'Come here immediately and take your place at table'?

These words let the apostles imagine they are the masters. They were thinking that how lucky the servant if he will be treated just like that - even after the servant is surely exhausted or dead tired returning from plowing or tending sheep in the field which is a very tiring work to do - laborious in "bloody" terms.

Imagine the apostles’ reaction after hearing these words from the Lord. Surely you will think that the apostles will get angry to the servant Jesus Christ portrays to them - in a story.

"Feeling lucky, punk!", says the apostles to the servant - of the story.

But in reality, although it may seem that the Gospel do not show compassion, mercy, love, care, humane or brotherly love, nor warmth the master have toward his servant, actually it is really how a master treats his servant.

We must know the analogy - when the story applies to God as master and the apostles as His servants. That's how God will treat His servants. It may seem inhumane or "capitalistic", but that Gospel story shows how it is really to be a master, and how it is really to be a servant. Different from this world who some aspires to establish a communist ideology which will imaginary lead to brotherhood and equality.

Jesus Christ added, "Would he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished'?

So humorously, the apostles who became masters of the servant had high hopes to be boastful, for Jesus Christ provided words for them that they will use as command to the servant - in the imaginary story.

Here, we see how a master treats his servant. The master commands. The servant has an obligation - to be obedient to the master and his command. The servant is still a servant of the master. He does what is commanded of him. He serves the

master even if his stomach is revolting against itself - even if he is dead tired from laborious work. He puts on the apron, that is, the working clothes that shows his servant hood and his readiness to do the commands demanded of him by the

master. He waits for the master. The servant is prepared and on standby as part of his servant hood. And after the master is finished from his eating and drinking, here goes the reward for his fidelity, faithfulness, and loyalty to the master and his

commands or master's words. He can eat and drink as commanded; the servant undeservingly receives his food and drink! He is undeserving of these things.

"Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you." Here, humorously, ends the "master hood" of the apostles when our Lord Jesus Christ said the words, "So should it be with you." The apostles

sighed for they are really servants, and Jesus Christ is their Master - and there is no other.

God and the master of the Gospel story shows gratitude and thankfulness towards the servant, for the servant did what was commanded of him.

But still, the servant is nothing and deserves nothing.

"When you have done all you have commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'"

The master will be more grateful or thankful to the servant if this is his attitude - because he is really nothing and deserves nothing, and the servant knows this. That is also a command from the Lord Jesus, to say those words He said!

Here are some points worth considering:

1. We are not masters. We all have but only one Master and that is Jesus Christ.

2. We are all servants. Therefore we must have a proper attitude a servant has.

3. We must have the attitude of self-emptiness, self-nothingness, and self-forgetfulness as servants. We must be obedient, humble, prepared, and careful in listening.

4. We must not be assuming. Remember we are servants.

5. We should say always as what was commanded of us by Jesus Christ, "We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do."

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!

Mary H. Distributist