Slave to None, Servant of All

I had a great lunch today with a friend I hadn't seen since college.  It never ceases to amaze me that, after swapping the "how did you get here from there" stories,  you can just pick right back up as if no time has passed.  

She's a few weeks into her second trimester with her first child and she shared an interesting observation.  She said that now she understands why humans have such a long gestation period...it's to give you the time you need, time to come to terms with and grieve over the loss of your own freedom.  

Yeah, I let that soak in as I was driving back.  It's true.  You're giving up your life for this kid on the way.  You will never again have the freedom you did before.  Every decision you make for YEARS will directly affect this new life.  I think it's easy to recognize the obligation of responsibility parents assume when they choose to bring a child into the world.  What I see now more than ever, is the sacrifice.  Parents (good parents, I dare say) give up their rights to serve themselves and agree to serve in the best interest of their child.  Even when it means they may suffer some, they always choose what serves their child's best interest.

Then I thought about Christ, how he chose to be a servant.  Jesus wasn't even a parent, yet he chose to be a servant, to everyone.  He was Lord of All, subject to none, and yet he chose to serve.  All the power and sovereign authority of God, the Father, and he still chose to serve.  He gave up all the rights to himself, and served everyone.  

Jesus was the original Servolutionary.  He was slave to none, and servant of all.  

As we leave another year, another decade, and begin this new year of 2010, may we all be so bold.  May we be bold enough to serve each other, to serve others we don't know, to meet a need just because it needs meeting.