Two brothers decided to play on sand banks by the river’s edge. Because the town depended on the river, it was regularly dredged and sand deposited in great mounds beside river. Children loved playing on the huge sand piles, but they are very dangerous. The sand dries on the top with rigid crusts that conceal cavernous internal voids formed by the escaping water in the wet sand underneath. If a child climbs on a mound of sand that has such a hidden void, the external surface easily collapses into the cavern. Sand from higher on the mound then rushes into the void, trapping the child in a sinkhole of loose sand. This is exactly what happened to the two brothers as they raced up one of the larger mounds.
When the boys did not return home at dinnertime, family and neighbors organized a search. They found the younger brother. Only his head and shoulders protruded from the mound. He was unconscious from the pressure of sand on his body. The searchers began digging frantically. When they had cleared the sand to his waist, he roused to consciousness.
“Where is your brother?” the rescuers shouted.
“I’m standing on his shoulders,” replied the child.
With the sacrifice of his own life, the older brother had lifted the younger to safety. So, too, did the One who is not ashamed to call Himself our brother. We live eternally by standing before God on the righteousness that Jesus Christ provided at the cost of his own life.
So, when we talk about becoming more like Jesus we are also talking about becoming more like Him in sacrificing ourselves for the sake of others. What better place is there to learn that than in marriage, with someone we love deeply? Even then it isn’t easy to serve each other, that is what God requires of us. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21-6:1).
“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave– just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28). We live in a self-focused world, a world in which we are told we deserve a break today, we should have every need met right now, and we can expect to have it all immediately. But Jesus says His goal for us is to teach us to be servants (diakonos, someone who did menial work like waiting on tables) and even slaves (doulos, someone who had no rights of their own because they were owned by another whom they continually served). If that sounds like it is expecting too much, remember that is what Jesus did for us (Philippians 2:5-11). Being like Jesus means putting another person and their needs before our own, and what better place to work on that than in marriage! Marriage is the easiest, and hardest place to learn to serve.
In what ways does Jesus serve you? How does that compare to the way you serve your mate? Suppose Jesus treated you the way you treat your mate, would you like that? The Golden Rule says we are to treat others the way we want to be treated. Treat your mate as Jesus treats you. Be their servant, their slave. If you take care of their needs then Jesus will take care of yours. That’s a deal you can’t beat!
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India & Africa & Spanish Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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