Three Faces

Not every servant has the face of Mother Teresa.   If today's encounters reveal anything about the faces of those who model servanthood, it is that they bear similar spirits, but different faces.  When the nurse came into the doctor's office before his arrival as they always seem to do, she just looked worn out even though she was obviously very young.  After a comment or two she said, "My grandmother had a stroke in February and every night since then I have stayed with her.  Last night I only slept a couple of hours."   An hour or so earlier when I got out of the car in the parking lot, there appeared a golf cart.  A retired guy was doing this volunteer work.  As I left I offered, "Thank you for your service."

 

A little later in the day at a fast food dispensary, I watched all the clerks milling around behind the counter with nothing much to do except talk while a older man, the manager, went about with broom and dustpan cleaning up.  While he was cleaning up, he was modeling what it means for someone in charge to be a servant.  But, who was looking.  I am not sure the talking help behind the counter really connected with what was happening.  Maybe so.  One can hope.

 

Servants are all around us.  The whole world is not going about looking out after themselves.  Some are still putting their own interest aside and carrying for others.  When I saw their faces today, I thought of the face of Jesus.  But, then maybe, what I was really seeing was not the face in the picture most of us are accustomed to seeing, but His face in their faces as they served.