editorial
james e. cossey • editor in chief
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
The Attitude of a Servant
R
ECENTLY I SPOKE with a young lady who works you like to be put back where you were when I called you?”
in a retail store in her city. Sadly, she told of a visit Now, that got my attention! I was a teenager on a cotton
from a prominent minister, who, after barking farm when God called me. The “putt, putt, putt” of a John
orders to her, and dissatisfied with her service, Deere tractor is forever etched into my memory. At age 17
asked, “Young lady, do you not know who I am?” His hot-air- when leaving home to preach my first revival (long before
balloon-sized ego fizzled flat when the young lady replied, receiving any formal training), I had two suits—black and
“No sir, I’m sorry I don’t.” gray. That made four outfits: two solid-color suits, a gray coat
Contrast that with my recent observation of the wife of with black pants, and a black coat with gray pants. Bus fare
one of our Executive Committee members at Pathway Book- was borrowed from my Uncle Ray, who, although he now
store. This godly lady had no idea I was standing a few feet serves the Lord, was not then a Christian. Go back to then?
behind her and heard every word she spoke. The kindness No, thank you. Give me a budget motel and a place to preach
with which this leading lady of our church spoke to the sales anytime . . . anywhere is better than how I started! And may
WHEN WE DECIDE WE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS,
OR DESERVE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT, WE HAVE
FORGOTTEN WHERE WE CAME FROM, OR WE DISREGARD
WHERE, BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, WE MIGHT HAVE
BEEN. EVEN OUR LORD DIDN’T COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO
SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIMSELF (MATTHEW 20:28; MARK 10:45).
clerk not only demonstrated true Christianity, but it emanat- God help me not to complain or think more highly of myself
ed both class and culture. than I should.
Now, mind you, I’m nobody’s judge. Far from perfect, I’ve When we decide we are more important than others, or
been known to get bent out of shape at times, and with my deserve preferential treatment, we have forgotten where we
deep, lower-than-baritone voice, have been accused of intimi- came from, or we disregard where, but for the grace of God,
dation. I was probably guilty! There were times I had to apol- we might have been. Even our Lord didn’t come to be served,
ogize to someone, and not a few times that Someone has but to serve, and to give Himself (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45).
been Someone none of us should ever wish to offend. Furthermore, we become a terrible testimony regarding the
Years ago, while preaching a camp meeting in a small character of our Master, and we wound those who are weaker
state, I was housed in an economy motel. Being alone, I in the faith, an offense that Jesus warned us against (Mark
reached for the phone to call home. No phone. And no cell 9:42). The Scripture tells us that the greatest among us became
phones back then. Down two flights of stairs, at the end of the our Servant (Matthew 23:1).
hall, I found a pay phone and waited my turn. Dialing the We are all servants of Christ and of one another. We are
number, I mumbled under my voice something about won- saved so we can serve Him and others. An executive leader’s
dering why I was stuck in this flimsy hotel. The dial tone was wife made a positive impact upon a young life. The preacher’s
interrupted by an almost-audible Voice that seemed to say, arrogance wounded an impressionable young Christian. And he
“Since you don’t like the room they’ve provided, how would will never get the second chance to make a first impression.
30 EVANGEL • MAR 2008
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