“ He will not cry out or shout or make His voice heard in the street. He will not break a bruised reed, and He will not put out a smoldering wick; He will faithfully bring justice” (Isaiah 42:2-3).
Rev. Marvelous Kalu
In continuation of the series in our teaching about servant-hood, which we started last week, we’ll further delve into its challenging aspects in line with biblical principles. In doing this, we shall refresh our minds on the right definition of the words “servant” and “service”.
Service, according to Dictionary.com, is “an act of helpful activity; help; aid: to do someone a service”. It is the performance of duties by a servant such as waiter (receptionist) or an employee of any category. It is a generic word that covers many strands of activities or duties specifically rendered to achieve a desired result in a particular direction or department of life. For instance, we have medical services, social services, military services, civil services and religious services. In all, the ultimate thing about service is to deliver its dividend.
On the other hand, a servant is one engaged to serve; public, private, social or religious. However, in this message, we shall use the principles of service as they affect those who serve in the house of God (that is serving God by obedience, piety and voluntarily) as a yardstick to measure an honest and acceptable service in the sight of God and humanity.
Pertinent to every service is the challenge of its humble application of the content to the satisfaction and joy of those who are being served. In this case, we take into consideration their fragile and gullible mindset which can be bruised at the slightest misapplication of method of service. Here, Isaiah rightly says: “He will not cry out or shout or make His voice heard in the street. He will not break a bruised reed, and He will not put out a smoldering wick; He will faithfully bring justice” (Isaiah 42:2-3).
Impliedly, a servant remains a figure of hope to all those in their service. In biblical account, Jesus who Himself exemplified service refers himself as a lamp wick. The allusion to a wick that is burning with feeble flame from the absence of the oil, being ready to expire, is symbolic of the tendering and compassionate spirit with which every enduring and acceptable service must be rendered. The hallmark of service can narrowly slip off one’s hands if caution is not applied, thus the smoldering nature of the burning wick. The ease with which the light of such a wick can be put out is referred to in Isaiah 43:17 and symbolic of the flexibility of human situations in need of service. The Messiah (the Servant) will not quench the flickering weak light; instead he gives hope to Israel, until He sent forth judgment unto victory.
Friends of God, true service imply mending, soothing and suturing what was ravaged and devastated. It gives back life to what is about to die, by skilful means of service. It is possible that before one’s arrival to a place of service, things must have gone incongruous and whimsically strange, odd and bizarre. Your challenge as a servant is to put them in shape. It is possible also that before a servant’s arrival to a place of service, so many people must have been bruised, injured, broken and wounded at home, offices or even in the Church.
But here comes a true servant with a mission. He must be a servant in whom people can find comfort and strength. His method of application of service is gentle, quiet and meek. He does not bully or shout on people. He corrects those who are wrong with politeness and love.
Certainly, the coastland is waiting for such a servant v. 4b.
– The Islands are waiting for such a servant.
– The Church and society earnestly look forward to having such a servant.
– The down-trodden, the crushed, the oppressed, the dejected, the rejected, the humiliated, the disgraced, the frustrated, the marginalised, the deprived and the denied are waiting for such a servant.
As a servant, you must not mortgage the above interest for any other purpose. Romans 8:18-25 gives us insight about painful travails of creation as a woman in pain of labour, waiting for the manifestation and revelation of the sons and daughters of God.
Consequently, the Nigerian society is hopefully waiting for a servant with such passion and grace for service. The Nigeria state and the Church are traversing in pain waiting for a servant who will diligently and selflessly serve God and humanity.
