As Master As Servant

Here is a little bit of background information relevant to our beautiful and endearing text, which speaks of a female speaking to a male and giving him water to drink from her filled jar of fresh drinking water. Drink, my lord, she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. Genesis 24: 18.

The person speaking is a young woman who is in her own home place. On this particular day, a stranger asks her for a little water from her jar and she readily gives him a drink. We know that he is a stranger, because no man from the town will be asking her for a little water to drink. Our curiosity is given attention when we hear her speak to the stranger as, my lord. Does she know this man? Does she know anything about him? What if he is not a lord at all, but a servant in his lord’s household? Perhaps lord is the name given to every male who comes around, a generic name that holds no real significance, as we sometimes use the term sir, quite loosely.

However you understand it, these are the facts. The traveller is a servant of the household of Abraham. We are told that the servant is Abraham’s chief or oldest servant. Abraham who is now old, has sent his servant on a mission which Abraham should have been doing himself, that of finding a wife for his beloved son Isaac. Abraham is now old and well advanced in years and trusts his servant to be his representative. The servant knows that he is on a mission for his master, not for himself or anybody else. Think of it seriously. This is not even the son’s mission, only the father’s. There is absolutely no disobeying, no changing up, no kind of self and pride coming into play in this servant’s obedience.

This servant has promised his lord and master to do as he has asked, so that the servant acts, speaks and thinks as his master, throughout the journey. Remember, the servant is on his own, meaning that his master Abraham is not physically present with him. Notwithstanding, when you look at the attitude of the servant - his manner, his behaviour - one sees Abraham, his master. You may like to read it to refresh your memories, as found in Genesis, chapter twenty-four.

What we are seeing of Abraham’s servant, is given substance in the words of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. There are many things which Jesus taught His disciples, those who had pledged their lives to His service. However, we shall just highlight one of them. In specifically addressing His disciples, whose feet He had just washed, Jesus said this. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. John 13: 16.

When our minds are no longer schooled by self and others and we have the Holy Spirit as our Teacher, teaching us the things of Jesus, then our learning is without human limit. One of the sure facts we learn as servants of our Master is that we are in no wise greater than He. It means that when He tells us to go somewhere or do something, we are not to second guess and procrastinate, using our human situations and circumstances as any excuse for not obeying and taking our Master at His Word. Are we so blinded and deceived by pride and self that we cannot see that we are making ourselves above our Master? Is He the foolish One and we the wise ones? Is He the One who does not understand human nature, but we do? God save us all!

As we see with Abraham’s servant, do people see you and me, servants of Jesus? Do people see all Jesus and none of our self-righteousness, pride, arrogance and religious folly?

Receive

Yes, a sent servant is on his master’s mission,

There’s nothing of self and personal ambition,

Just a servant mindful of his duty to serve,

Loyalty and faithfulness, his master’s deserve.