Hello, and welcome to Enbolden, living a bold Christian life. I'm Chris Shutter, an ordinary Christian living with and learning about an extraordinary God. This week we continue looking at the Jesus trait, the humble servant, through the lives of two unique women. We kick off this week's podcast from a verse from John 5 verse 8.
Then Jesus said to him, Get up, pick up your mat and walk, at once the man was cured. And then this quote from the hiding place by a Corey Ten Boom. Lord Jesus, I offer myself for your people, in any way, any place, any time. I was reading recently about what it meant that Jesus called himself a humble servant of God.
To some that seems contrary, for someone to call themselves humble. And at the time of Jesus, the word humble was a vile and contemptible thing. According to Christian author Charles Jefferson, there was no virtue in all the pagan world known as humility. It was a defect.
As Christianity spread across the world, so did its values. One of its unique additions to the world was the concept of Christ-like humility and servitude. It is possibly one of the most misunderstood of Christian values. To some it means having a low estimate of ourselves.
To others it means we have to deny ourselves or make ourselves inferior. But if we accept all of Christ's words as true, we then must accept these from Matthew 1129. I am meek and lowly in heart. That's Jesus.
And yet we have never met a person who held their head higher with more confidence and with such loftiness as Jesus. So often it seems we create a vision of the various character traits of Jesus and each believer then feels they must change their personalities to fit that ideal. When we picture a meek and humble person, not Jesus, do we imagine a rich person? Do we picture a courageous and bold person?
Or do we picture a small weak person who lets people walk over her? As I progress in my faith, this concept of being a humble servant is something I've really mold over. I've tried playing various roles that seem to fit that ideal. And it's funny, when I try to be so quiet and meek like, it usually backfires.
The recipient could tell I'm being a phony. About a year ago I heard about this book, The Hiding Place, that I quoted earlier. I know many Christians may have read this book at some point in their lives. But as a refresher, the story is a Christian family from Holland living at the start of World War II.
As Hitler's army advances, the local Jewish community starts to disappear. Two of the main characters, Sister Betsy and Ben Corey Tenboom, find themselves answering God's call to not just hide Jews, but also play integral roles in the underground system of protecting Jews from all over. What struck me about this book were the opposite personalities of the sisters, both answering God's call to be humble servants in their own ways. Corey, she was the bold one.
She found herself tasks with much of the dangerous work outside their home. While in prison it was Corey who dealt with the officials. Unless we think this was easy for her because of a strong faith, Corey frequently questioned God about what he wanted her to do. And each time she prayed, each time either a word from God or someone close to her told her to move on his command.
Near the beginning of their story, Corey is tasked with obtaining extra food ration cards. She was led to a speak with a local man who recently took a job at the food office, but she wasn't sure it would be safe. So what did she do? She said, Lord, I prayed silently.
If it is not safe to confide in Fred, stop this conversation now before it's too late. But she found herself asking not just for five food ration cards, but suddenly one hundred. And within a week they were in her hands. The danger she faced being turned into the authorities was replaced with her trust in God's urging for her to be a doing Christian.
Throughout her ordeal while at home and eventually in prison, she wanted to be so angry with the Germans and those who supported them. She balked at loving her enemies and showing them mercy. But really, who could blame her? And yet over and over, she submitted her heart and hands to God.
She said, my job was simply to follow his leading one step at a time, holding every decision up to him in prayer. She wrote, I knew I was not clever or subtle or sophisticated. If my home was becoming a meeting place for need and supply, it was through some strategy far higher than mine. You can contrast her submission to God with the local pastor she encounters.
He on the other hand, when asked to take a Jewish mother and child into his home, was clearly frightened. He had monitored for the illegal activities and warned her that what she was doing wasn't safe. The concept of being a humble servant doesn't require us to be a certain personality or style of living. A long time past can fail while a wealthy man can succeed at this effort.
Throughout the hiding place, one such wealthy man aids the underground effort with both his money and his own hands. In all of Jesus' teachings, we see him asking us to do two things. Have one another and take action. Like the man at the pool who had been waiting for a healing for almost 40 years, he asks us to first believe him, then get up and start moving.
Along the way, he wants us to be teachable and willing to learn. He asks us to put our side our vanity and our social aspirations. He tasks us to serve and feed his sheep. He doesn't ask us to underestimate ourselves or make ourselves small or feel unworthy.
In fact, he wants us to stand firm in the knowledge we are doing his work. Corey Tenboon was bold and faithful and humble at the same time. She was always looking to serve the less fortunate and those in need. And when she forgot about serving her enemies, her sister stepped forward to remind her.
I once took a leadership personality test at a conference. The results weren't that surprising. I have a bold personality and I'm good at organizing. But what makes any leadership situation successful for me is to be paired with a softer, gentler leader.
That person remembers those who aren't as obvious and reminds me to slow down to see the whole picture. Betsy Tenboon was that kind of leader. The book in which the sisters were written out highlights her bold sister, Corey. But it's this kinder, quieter, gentler servant of God that I saw as a thread throughout.
It was Betsy who would send up prayers for the German soldiers who were torturing them. It was Betsy who thanked God for fleas and their new barracks. While Corey was dealing with the big problems, it was her quiet sister drawing people out of the shadows for prayer meetings in the middle of the night. During one difficult transfer to yet another barracks, the women were made to stand for hours and hours.
The two sisters' personality and approach to being God's servants was evidence in this exchange. Quote, Betsy, I wailed, how long will this take? Betsy replied to her sister Corey, perhaps a long, long time, perhaps many years. But what better way could there be to spend our lives?
I turned to stare at her, Corey said, whatever are you talking about? These young women, Betsy said, that young girl back at the bunkers, Corey, if people can be taught to hate, they can talk to love, be taught to love. We must find a way, you and I, no matter how long it takes, Betsy said with excitement. Are we that excited to serve God humbly?
To be teachable, free from ambition and vanity? Have we looked Jesus in the eye and said, I trust you? And when he has told you to get up and pick up your mat, have you obeyed him? Or have you decided that you weren't good enough, strong enough, or smart enough?
Are you laying around by the pool, waiting for someone else to do the work for you? If you keep saying to God, show me what you want me to do and have yet to walk out your front door and serve your neighbors, you've missed the point. He takes all types in his great army. Get your mat and get moving.
I like to quote from Warren Wearsby to close us out today. All of us are different, but all of us can serve the Lord for his glory. Amen. I'd love to hear from you and find out more about how you are living out your bold Christian life.
You can find me on Instagram at embolden minus the O or at my blog at embolden.net.