I was browsing through my old Multiply blog, the one I had back when I was on my 2nd year in college and which I still used until last year as I served as a full-time video editor in a 1800-member congregation.

 

Well, I had to mention the number because I`m reposting an old post from that old blog and it had something to do with the number.

 

As I look back on it now, I find myself quite funny to have written these things down…although what I wrote down was so real, so true to my heart. I hope this speaks to you as you laugh at my thoughts and find out that I have these little OCD in washing dishes. hehe

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Learning Servanthood

*Writings from my journal on the 4th of November, 2009.

This morning, I was asked to wash a thousand communion cups.  I guess, for some that would be an easy task. But for me, you know that I would rather stay up all night doing all sorts of office stuff than to do the menial, handyman stuff.  I mean, washing cups is not a handyman thing. ;) Sorry about that. But honestly, I’d rather do the hammering, scrubbing, and fix wires rather than to wash dishes.

 

I love to serve, don’t get me wrong. I could sweep floors, dust cabinets, and other girly things like that. But washing things…like dishes for instance, is the most horrendous, scary thing you could ever ask me to do. And this morning, you bet I almost cried and wallowed in self pity. ;)

Friends closest to me know how I hate doing the dishes and the eeky things. I know Gel got annoyed with me many times about doing the dishes. Raymond laughed at me when he learned I cried for two nights after removing gum under the chairs.  And this time, I actually sent this message to Raymond:

 

   Senyor, maglilinis ako ng communion cups. mga 1000 ata. Wahaha Hindi ako iiyak. Attitude lang toh! bwahaha

                Senyor, I’m gonna clean communion cups. They’re about a thousand haha I’m not gonna cry. This is all about attitude. ;)

But you know what…today, I remembered what Jesus taught about servanthood. The greatest leaders are the greatest servants. If you want to be first, you should know how to put others first before yourself. And I guess for me, this means doing the cups with a good attitude even though I don’t like washing. This means thinking about the thousand people who will be using the cups next month for the communion. This means serving 5 services and even helping out the ushering team. This means dying to myself and serving others instead of caring only about myself.

 

Yesterday, I was watching Francis Chan’s video and I remember him talking about looking at our future in heaven. I realized that as we look forward to our eternal rewards in heaven, every menial, normal, or difficult task that we do becomes bearable. And when I started thinking about heaven, I began to wipe the cups with joy. ;)

 

Jesus said. “The greatest among you shall become your servant.”  Hmm… This has taught me a lot today. If I we want to live the destiny of greatness that we are called to live, then we must first learn to become the greatest servants. Leadership is not at all about being in position, sitting in front of my hi-tech computer every day, enjoying the comfort of the office. Leadership is all about putting others first before you think about yourself—even if it sometimes means doing the things that you least like doing.

 

I would be lying if I tell you that I won’t be struggling again the next time they ask me to do the thousand cups. But next month, when I’m in Ate Pat’s kitchen, soaping and rinsing the little cups… I know what to think about.  And just in case it’ll be your turn…

Think about Jesus and what he says about servanthood. Think about heaven.  Think about eternity. For whatever we do for His name (and for His people) will never be in vain. ;)

 

 

Photos via chibi-, chiikushio-,

and xii-seoulfashion on Tumblr.