I once heard E. V. Hill tell a group of Baptists he loved to preach to us because of “who you think you are.” Well. Whom do we think we are? Bagging my own groceries at a store recently, I said to the manager, “This used to be my job. I bagged groceries.” Unimpressed, he offered, “I still do.” Once upon a time, my job was to wash silverware. To be honest, it was not my favorite job. Our college cafeteria had a little tray which sprinkled cold water over the silverware before it came to me. Peanut butter in cold water still evokes a reflex for me, and not a good one. Washing dishes afforded me time to think, though, which was good.
Paul reminded the congregation that before David became King of Israel he was a shepherd. John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher in the wilderness. We do not get the sense that John was concerned about his appearance or livelihood. He was much more concerned about the spiritual condition of the people of Israel. He knew his lines and said them well. Some wanted to make him out to be the Messiah. He made sure they knew he was not. David was not a Savior. Neither was John. Nor are you and I. There is only One. His name is Jesus!
How did John the Baptist relate to Jesus? He said, “I am not worthy to untie his sandals.” John knew his role was to become less as Jesus became greater. This informs our own perspective today. Who do we think we are? We are not the Messiah. But we do have a role to play in the greater work of his kingdom. If Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom, then what are we to do? Get a basin and a towel ready. We may get to wash feet in the name of Jesus. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “You don’t have to be great to serve.” In fact, the greater we think we are, the more we need to learn to serve. Knowing who Jesus is will help us remember who we are: servants of the Lord.
