Be Served or SERVE, we, most of us at least would agree that serving is what we should do, but the way we live life as American's seems to speak other wise, being served is what we really desire.  

Sounds pretty presumptuous of me, but the entitlements that we seek as people, with our varied and ever growing special interest groups and divisions, whether by socio-economic status, education, ethnicity, sexuality, etc. prove other wise.  Everybody demands recognition and compensation in one way shape or form.  Just go to any fast food restaurant, grocery store, or drive on any of our streets and you will get a taste of everyone imposing their demands on those surrounding them, people striving to get their way; get what they want; make sure their need/needs are met, in our places of employment and even in our homes we seek to be served by ever increasing amounts of amenities.

The crazy thing is that a king from 2000 years ago, a king that is nothing like human kings who often only put on the air of generosity and service, to appease, or demonstrate by appearances  only they are in service of those who've been born under their authority really demonstrated by how he lived and died and rose again what it means to serve.  The King of kings, when He came as a man, put on the flesh of humanity and exposed the heart of many human rulers and authorities who treat those they serve with an air of superiority and dominance.  Most of humanity seeks a leg up on their peers, or to be given a special privilege that nobody else gets, benefits without cost, entitlements, in other words to, "Be Served."

If were honest, that's what is nice about going to a restaurant, a full service car wash, paying someone else to clean our houses or clean up a mess that we've made.  Being served feels kind of nice, if we're honest.

But this King, of the universe, calling out the hearts of those seeking privilege and entitlements defined serving this way, "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

This coming Sunday, May 20th, come out and support the Arbutus community, if you live here serve here.  Give up your Sunday and give back a few hours, serving is loving and loving always changes things for the better!