It Isn't Easy Being the Invisible Man, but It's Worth It

[an excerpt from BPGiFwMY, chapter 13]


What if you did something heroic, something of epic proportions… saved a city from an impending meteorite, rescued a princess from an evil giant, or put your life on the line for someone you’d never met? How would you feel if no one offered a simple word of thanks? Or suppose someone else got all of the credit for your noble deeds? Would not being recognized for the sacrifices you’d made, or the risks you’d taken, leave you bitter? The next time you saw someone in need of help, would you consider turning the other way?

You and I may never be presented with the opportunity to make a “front page news” kind of sacrifice. But every single day filled with opportunities to take the job of a servant. The problem is that SERVANTHOOD HAS SUCH AN UNAPPEALING JOB DESCRIPTION: PUTTING SOMEONE ELSE’S NEEDS BEFORE YOUR OWN, doing exhausting jobs at inconvenient times for nothing in return, all while risking criticism from those who feel your time would be better spent doing something more important.

The phrase “no guts, no glory” does not hold true for a servant. “Guts, but no glory” would be far more accurate. It’s easy to work hard when you know you’ll receive recognition…

… If you’re seeking recognition, servanthood is not a great place to find it. In fact, BEING A SERVANT MAY REQUIRE YOUR BEING INVISIBLE ALL TOGETHER. It may mean visiting someone in the hospital who will never remember you came, picking up someone else’s trash, volunteering to serve meals to people who cannot bring themselves to look you in the eye, or donating money to help a family that will never know your name.

The want-ads crying out for the help of anyone with a servant’s heart are posted everywhere... You can spot them on the front pages of the newspaper or in the prayer requests shared at a church potluck. But these cries for help often go unnoticed by those who are busily trying to make sure that their own needs are not only met, but exceeded. WE CANNOT BE SERVANTS IF OUR EYES ARE NOT OPEN TO RECOGNIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE ALL AROUND US.

… Once you begin to see the needs around you, it’s more likely that you’ll be overwhelmed, not underworked. Just remember that it is not our responsibility to meet the needs of the entire world. Our only responsibility is to meet the needs that God has specifically set aside for us as individuals.

Take into account your natural talents and abilities, your material resources, and the needs that most deeply touch your heart. You don’t have to travel across the world to be a true servant. It may take more humility to deal with the needs you see in your own neighborhood.

No need is too small or insignificant for a servant… We just can’t forget to check our invisibility quotient now and then. If serving others gives our pride a buzz because it makes us feel like the oh-so-generous benefactor, we may need to step back for a while. A true servant is motivated by love, not the need to feel needed.

True servants also know how to accept help when they find themselves in need of it… we are all better servants when we remember what it feels like to be served.

Why not take a moment and ask God to open your eyes to a need you can meet for someone else today? Your prayer just may be the answer to someone else’s cry for help.