Will You Let Me Be Your Servant?

It can be very difficult to invite others into the messy, private worlds we inhabit with our immediate families, and if we’re lucky, our most intimate friends. It often seems like we no longer live in the proverbial “village” where people come together to help each other. Sometimes it is easier to help strangers far away who are beset by a terrible disaster than to show up at your neighbor’s door. I know that’s often been the case with me and a source of personal shame.

Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you?

Pray that I might have the grace, to let you be my servant too.

Recently, the tune to a song I know as “The Servant Song” started to pop up in my mind. It’s a song that have in our “Green Songbook” at church, a custom compilation of hymns and other service music not found in the 1982 Episcopal hymnal.

In the wake of news of a major medical crisis for myself and my family, I was moved in ways I did not understand at the time to ask for help from friends near and far. As it turns out, I had no idea what I was getting us in to, and how it would change us forever.

We are pilgrims on a journey, we are trav’lers on the road.

We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.

The help I sought came in ways I could not have predicted and did not know our family needed.

Yes, we were (and still are) being well fed — by friends near and far, and even by strangers!

There were rides home and playdates for our son. Recent acquaintances took over the planning of his 6th birthday party, scheduled for the day after my surgery. Friends sent their friends bearing blessings and prayers to me in the ICU. Our neighbors — who themselves have a new baby — helped mow our lawn! A good friend cleaned our bathroom before I came home from the hospital! (Just let that one sit with you for a moment…)

Still other people came just to be — to sit and talk and listen. Old friends and new, and even casual acquaintances who, in the act of being, have become so very dear.

I will hold the Christ-light for you, in the nighttime of your fear.

I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.

One friend wrote to thank me for sharing my situation with her and her family, and for including them in our request for help. She thanked me. Even though I had experienced that same feeling myself before, the idea that my plea for help from others might be considered a gift by those being asked was novel.  

I was very moved by this friend’s note and we shared a lovely exchange about how difficult it is to ask for help. She wrote, “…sometimes life demands we connect with other people. We learn this in different ways and sometimes others remind us of this lesson.”

How very true.

Before, my default position was to mind my own business unless I was asked directly. I was not brave enough to say, “Is there any way I can help you? What do you need? Can I pray for you?” I find now that I am less afraid to put myself out there, even if all it means is telling someone that I am thinking of them. In awe at the outpouring of support we’ve received, my husband and I had a very frank conversation about how writing checks to worthy causes is not enough. We have to show up more, even when there aren’t always enough hours in the day.

I will weep when you are weeping, when you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.

I will share your joy and sorrow till we’ve seen this journey through.

As followers of Christ, we are called upon to love our neighbor as ourselves. And that includes, it seems, letting your neighbor love you. We asked for help and we were given so much love. My cup (and our refrigerator!) runneth over. My soul is restored. Now we pray for the strength truly to be servants to others in need.

Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you?

Pray that I might have the grace, to let you be my servant too.

 

[The Servant Song: Copyright © 1977 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publ. (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission. Image Credit: Public Domain via Pixabay]