WHATEVER YOUR TASK OR ASSIGNMENT, DO IT AS A SERVANT… IT’S GOD’S CRITICAL ADDITION TO EVERY CHRISTIAN’S JOB DESCRIPTION!

My Tribute To Wendy

“The greatest among you shall be your servant.”

Matthew 23:11 ESV

My sister Wendy passed away sometime between Wednesday evening about 10, and early Thursday morning when Steve, her husband, found her dead right beside him. She must have gone quietly… just God’s secret call to her that nobody had seen coming.

There is the very real spiritual side of death for a lover of Jesus. First, we know where they are and we are as happy as we can be, even with the incredible loss for who loved her and needed everything she brought to our lives. In addition, there’s the physical and emotional trauma that comes. All in all, it’s one of the most difficult times of life for any and all who have lost a vital part of their lives.

As siblings, Wendy deeply impacted myself and sister Dawn the two oldest, but especially Cheri and Randy, the two youngest Walterman kids. She was kind of like the glue that kept us together with vibrancy, humor and common sense. She could make almost anyone laugh at almost any time and circumstance.

But to me, her greatest contribution to anyone she met, to all the myriad friends around the world who got to know her and especially to those closest to her was this: Wendy was a ‘servant leader.’

In the last two days I’ve been wrestling over the phrase – Servant Leader. I have known some pastors who are artists at being ‘servant leaders.’ They have learned this critical truth:  My greatest ministry is the presence I bring to others after having been with Jesus! And Jesus presided over all of his assignments as a humble servant!

Jesus once ‘set up’ his disciples with this question and then his own answer: “For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? (I’m fairly sure they thought they knew the correct answer… “Obviously Jesus, it’s those who being served as they recline” But Jesus messed with some preconceived ideas when He said:) “ But I am among you as the one who serves.” Luke 22:27 ESV 

Wendy was the perfect ‘servant leader!’ With all her gifts of leading large crowds in worship, with all her wit and wonder, all her ability to minister God’s Word powerfully and accurately, she was first and absolutely foremost a servant of her Lord. She stopped to care and minister to anyone God sent in her path. Her’s was an intentional, radical and humble obedience to jobs God had for her.

We’d make a much bigger influence on our world if we did our ‘thing’ whether shop owner, teacher, entrepreneur, sales person or anyone else… if we added ‘servant’ before our titles… and then actually served!

NOTE! Take some sacred time this week to study the following Scriptures regarding the reasons  you may decide to become a qualified ‘servant leader.’

Philippians 2:7    John 13:1-38    Mark 9:35    Mark 10:42-45    Galatians 5:13    Matthew 25:21