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“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Mark 10:45 (NIV)

“Life is so unnerving for a servant who’s not serving. He’s not whole without a soul to wait upon…” These words were not words of anyone famous; at least, not exactly. They were words from a song featured in the Disney cartoon Beauty and the Beast, in a scene where Belle walks into the castle’s dining room and is greeted by tea pots and cups, dishes, cutlery, napkins and candle sticks. After being in cupboards for over ten years, they could not hold back their excitement to have Belle as their guest, or, in other words, to serve her with all of their might, joy and meaning.

I am a lover of children’s movies, especially cartoons, and Beauty and the Beast is one of them, for not just the story that it tells, but also for the music it offers for the delight of our ears. So, when listening to the song “Be Our Guest,” I could not help but notice that those household items were in reality sharing with those watching the movie the significance of servanthood. For vessels which were made to serve, being tucked away in cupboards without being put to use was like a slow death sentence, a loss of life meaning, somewhat like crossing a parched and arid desert on foot and without carrying water.

When Jesus was on this earth, He spent the bulk of His time serving those around Him. He wasn’t out and about shopping, taking vacations or kicking back, sipping coconut water under a palm tree while munching on dates, plums and pomegranates. Jesus was washing people’s feet, healing their physical and spiritual bodies, calming storms, and performing other miracles. He did all those things for the good of others, never for His own good. Jesus was a servant leader, and serve He did.

We sing songs about being more like Jesus, and yet we often forget how to serve. In the example of cartoon kitchen appliances, I was reminded that to be like Jesus is to serve others as if serving was our primary mission in life, as it was in His.

“Lord, thank You for modeling servanthood to Your children.”

For His Glory

Luska Suzano
TRBC Women’s Life

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”  Psalm 133:1 (NIV)

When I was a young girl of 4, my paternal grandparents gave me a red tea set made of plastic. My dolls, as well as my friends, enjoyed that tea set as much as I did, as we often hosted tea parties for ourselves and our imaginary friends.

From that simple plastic tea set, I learned valuable lessons. I learned that sometimes we are the hosts of the event or the givers.  At other times we are guests on the receiving end, and we must learn to follow the lead of the person hosting the party. I also learned responsibility, as I had to be a good steward of the tea set by keeping it in a safe place so the dog would not chew on it or my younger siblings would not lose any of the pieces. I had to keep the tea seat clean, as we did not want ants getting in my room from the juice we often served in the tea cups. Last but not least, I learned the importance of not taking criticism personally as I served my friends and catered to their needs and wants during our tea parties.

“Breaking bread together” is something that people of all nations enjoy doing. Sharing a cup of tea (or coffee, or a glass of milk or other type of beverage) while eating a full meal or an appetizer is simply a great way to spend time with friends catching up on our day-to-day lives, to encourage and edify one another.

My little red tea set got so much wear from my “social engagements” that eventually the cups had holes in them. The day I parted with that tea set was a mixture of sadness to see it go and joy from all the memories of all the wonderful tea parties it helped me host.

When was the last time you had a tea party with your girlfriends to unwind from a busy day? Don’t let your tea set get dusty on the shelf, waiting for the “right time” to call on your friends for an informal girl time or to partake in some needed encouragement. It is hard to keep track of time when life is hectic, so if necessary, pencil in some “tea party time” with your friends.
 

“Father, thank You for friends. Help us to never take them for granted. Amen.”

For His Glory

Luska Suzano
TRBC Women’s Life