The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-03-16
THE SOVEREIGN SERVANT.

THE SOVEREIGN SERVANT.
lie took q towel and girded himself.
John 1874.
than when he put about him the badge
Of the servant. His example has
made the towel, the apron, the badge
Of true honor Nothing could have
surprised those men who were quarrel
ing over their precedence more than
that this great Master should stoop to
perform this mental service Of wash
ing their feet Like many who call
themselves His to-day they strove over
chief seats, honors, titles, dignities.
They were seeking the chief places and
by their Ctrife showing themselves 1T
only for the lowest. Nowhere is The
sense of honor more easily slain than
In the search for honors.
The only dignity that really adorns
a man is that which comes without his
demanding it. But how often have the
servants OF the meek and lowly Jesus
turned the world away from Him by
taeir examples Of vanity, greed, lust
for power, their pomp and pride OF
f-cloIy. They who were sent to be
shepherds of men have fieeced the flock
for their own adjoining and then fought
amongst themselves to see who should
wear the choicest robes. But history
has shown that they were wrong and
their Master riglrt. The greater their
greedy ambition the greater Ihe:r
share. the higher the place they have
claimed the lower has been that wifi III
the voice of humanity has awarded
them.
On the other hand there shine forth
those who have followed Him in lowly
service; theirs is the honor to-day. Be
cause He took upon Him the form of
servant then now is the kingdom and
the power and the glory.
So it has always been, sovereignty
comes by way of service; heaven and
earth unite in honoring those who have
not scorned the humble place of help
fulness. John says that 1t was because
Jesus was conscious of His divine or
igin and His glorious destiny that He
took the towel and did the work of
the slave. Only those who realize their
true greatness can ignore the littleness
of mans petty dignities, can lose all
sense of STOPPING, of condescension
when they serve others, and so can be
of service to mankind. A man proves
that he is the son Of heavenly Father
by his service for his least brother.
When that dignity, heaven born, is in
a mans heart there is nothing in the
dirt he may touch by deeds Of kind
ness that can defile him; contact does
not contaminate.
Love never thinks of any of its SER
vices as lcathsome. That from which
superficial dignity would revolt love
does with rejoicing. 1t thinks nothing
of the honor or the dishonor, but only
of the helpfulness 1t may render. 1t
is not asking whether men are approx
ing or whether promotion is coming.
1t needs 40 promotion or approval; the
work itself is the highest reward; the
service elevates to the loftiest Of all
positions
The worlds soyereigns are its SER
wants. He makes an alliance with God
who helps a fellOw-man. Work is
that by which the Creator has lifted
| man above the crea lures of the field,
and the work that sacrifices that it
may serve is that by which God lifts
man to himself. The heavenly gate
] may be shut to robes and miters, epau-
lettes and crowns; but it shall be open
wide to that great throng who bear
the stains Of toll. who have served
their fellows, who wear the apron Of
sacrificing service; and the son Of the
carpenter shall lead them in.