Humility, Servanthood, and Nonviolence
Category : Blogpost
Jesus does not just teach humility, servanthood, and nonviolence; he lives it. He is the King who washes feet. He is the Lord who serves. He is the one who, when struck, does not strike back but offers his life. Moreover, he calls us to follow him in this same way of being.
This is not easy. It goes against every instinct we have. When someone hurts us, we want to hurt them back. When we have authority, we want to use it for our own benefit. When we are humiliated, we want to defend our honor. However, Jesus invites us into a different way, a way that looks like weakness to the world but is actually the power of God.
The thread binding these three characteristics is a radical redefinition of power itself. In every human society, power flows upward. The strong dominate the weak. The rich control the poor. The powerful are served by the powerless. Jesus says: In my kingdom, it is the opposite. Power flows downward. Greatness is measured by service. Authority is exercised through humility. Strength is revealed in self-giving love.
This is not a theoretical idea. It is a practical, daily choice. Every time you choose to serve instead of demand service, you are living out Mark 10. Every time you do the dirty, thankless task that nobody else wants to do, you are living out John 13. Every time you refuse to retaliate, absorb an insult, or go the extra mile for someone who does not deserve it, you are living out Matthew 5.
These three passages together form a complete picture of what following Jesus looks like in a world obsessed with power, status, and revenge. It is a counter-cultural, Spirit-empowered way of being human that the world cannot understand and cannot replicate.
Stay tuned!
