VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE Volume 2.2 | Page 3

Devotional “A Servant’s Heart.” Shared by Kezia Surjadi “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 E veryone wants to be great and to hear the words “amazing”, “gorgeous”, or “outstanding” about themselves. According to the world’s perspective, a great person’s characteristics are wealth, prestige, and fine appearance. The Bible, however, has a very different definition. In Matthew 20:25-27 Jesus said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— “ This verse often confuses the reader. Does it mean to be Biblically great is to forsake all manners of talent and beauty to live in depression in the name of Jesus? No, of course not! We are given talents and abilities so that they can be developed, but in a way that would serve others. Such selfless actions could only emanate from a serving heart. The On 19th November, a Russian jetliner crashed in the Tatarstan’s regional capital of Kazan, killing 50 people including its regional President’s son. So far, the real cause of the crash has been declared unknown. Boeing has sent in technicians to aid the investigation. A day of mourning was declared the following Monday (CNN) The A manhunt has been issued in Paris as a lone gunman committed 3 gun attacks a the Liberation news firm offices. The gunman, thought to be between 35 and 45 years old and between 1.7m and 1.8m tall, injured a photographer at Liberation before forcing a passing motorists to drive him away to Champ Elysees, where he dismounted and released the motorists. (BBC) One example is a character in the novel In His Steps. The book is about church members who have taken the question, “What would Jesus do?” to apply it to their personal lives. The protagonist Rachel is an exceptional singer who earns a chance to use her talent as an traveling opera singer—a wonderful opportunity that does not come very often. But at the same time, Rachel asks herself the question, “What would Jesus do?”. The answer she arrives at is not a comfortable one. She refuses the contract, and instead decides to offer her voice in the city slum’s revival meeting. Her singing proves to be invaluable at the meeting, bringing many of the drunkards and the lawless to the light of Christ. Rachel does not acquire anything for her singing except for one: the converted lives of the lost. To have a serving heart also means to have a heart that is willing to “lose”. It is likely that someone who tries his best to serve others would get nothin