A Servant of the Lord

“A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:24-25)

In this passage of Scripture, Paul lists four qualities of a servant of the Lord: a servant of the Lord must not quarrel, they must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and a servant of the Lord must be patient with difficult people. Do you see those qualities in yourself? Do you consider yourself a servant of the Lord?

“And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 7:22)

“‘Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.’” (John 12:26)

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13)

As followers of Jesus, as Christians, we are certainly called to be servants. As a servant of the Lord, do you find yourself quarreling with others? How often do you have arguments or fights in your life? How often do you quarrel on social media? If you are fighting with others, especially others who have opposite views from you, can you say that you are kind to everyone? Are you kind to the person who cut you off in traffic? Are you kind to the people who call you ugly names and judge you by your skin color? Are you able to teach? Can you explain your faith and teach others about it? Do you practice this skill? Are you patient with difficult people? Those people who always want to fight, who constantly needle you, looking for a reaction—are you patient with them?

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave…” (Philippians 2:5-7a)

These are all qualities Paul said would be found in a servant of the Lord because they are found in the Lord Himself. Jesus modeled a servant-style of living and, as His followers, we must have the same humble, servant attitude that Jesus had. If you feel you are lacking in one or more of these areas, study how Jesus handled difficult people, how He avoided quarrels, how He taught, and study the ways in which He was kind to everyone. Jesus is our ultimate example, the One we follow and strive toward. Work on building up these characteristics in your life as a servant of the Lord.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed