A Servant's Heart

“What do you want me to do for you?” (Matthew 20:32)
 
My guess is that at one time or another each of us has had a clerk in a store or someone on the other end of the phone say something like this: “How may I help you?” Businesses must be customer friendly or else they lose business. While attending two different pastor conferences over the past two weeks, I spent a total of five nights in two different motels. Each went out of its way to determine if my needs were met. On more than one occasion, motel employees asked if there was anything they could do for me. That’s good customer service, is it not? That’s what makes the question I cited above very interesting. Let me set the context for you.

Jesus had just completed several rigorous days of healing, teaching, travelling and meeting with people. At this point in the narrative, there had been absolutely no break in his hectic schedule. In addition, he had just reminded the disciples of his impending death (for the third time). I’d say he had a lot on his mind, wouldn’t you?

Now on top of all that, he was on the verge of returning to Jerusalem, an event that would set in motion the circumstances surrounding the last few days of his life. At that precise moment, two blind men were setting along the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David.” They were rebuked by the crowd, only to cry out a second time, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David.” It was at that moment Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” You know their response. They said, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” The text tells us that “immediately they received their sight.”

As I’ve meditated on this passage, and Jesus’ response to the cries of the blind men, it struck me that meeting the needs of others, no matter what form it takes, rarely comes at a convenient time. How many times has someone asked for your assistance and, at least in your mind you’ve thought, “Not now-I can’t-I’m too busy-This is not a good time.” We’re all guilty of that, are we not?

Jesus’ response shows us that there’s never a time when busyness or inconvenience should prevent us from acting to serve others. Jesus himself said that “the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve.” Jesus consistently demonstrated a servant’s heart. He put the needs of others above his own, even to the point of going to the cross to help those who could never help themselves.

Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” No matter how busy or inconvenienced we may be, that’s not a bad question for us to ask of others. Would you agree?