Janitors Wanted
May 16, 2010
by Ron Ramage
Several years ago I heard a story about a bible college professor who had an exam at the end of the semester which would count as one fifth of the students overall grade. When everyone was seated, and the professor had told them to turn over their test and start, the students were very surprised to find only one question on the entire exam. The question was simple. What is the name of the school janitor?
The concept was simple as well. How many of these students had taken the time to stop and thank the person who picked up their trash and cleaned up after them day after day, week after week? How many had cared enough to even ask their name?
Most of us don’t aspire to be a janitor. It often involves working alone, cleaning up after others and getting things setup and ready for the next work day when it starts all over again. There is little in the way of job recognition and always someone higher up who supervises what you do. Not very glamorous is it? But, doesn’t that sound just like the type of servant God wants us all to be?
In 1 Peter 5:5-6 it says to “gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.”
According to Webster, the definition of humble is: “not proud or haughty; not arrogant or assertive; reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission”. The question for all of us is how do we become more humble?
Most of us would like to think that we are willing to subject ourselves to God, the elders, our spouses, or our Christian family. But do we really? How exactly do we exhibit that spirit of submission to others? Do others see us as someone who is humble, or someone who is arrogant and assertive?
We live in a society where self is very important. The world appreciates those who assert themselves, take charge, and set themselves apart from everyone else. If you don’t get the first word in, then you may never get a chance to voice your opinion. Don’t let people tell you what to do either, for that is a sign of weakness. And, do not stop and pick up someone else’s trash, for that is beneath someone of your stature. Unfortunately, that kind of thinking is the opposite of being humble and more importantly, in direct opposition to what God wants us to be.
In reality a lot of us probably humble ourselves at times and under certain situations, especially if we recognize that someone else may have more experience or knowledge. Where we often fall short is when you think you are the one with all the answers or the one who thinks they have a better way of doing things, or the one who thinks there are others lower than you who will take care of it. When that happens we have a choice: Do we humble ourselves, or do we let that inner self take over?
Of course the ultimate example was shown by Christ. Christ was already in heaven, the son of God, and yet allowed himself to be sent to earth where he grew to be a man who learned a trade as a common carpenter. During his ministry he was willing to teach anyone who would listen and he taught using plain and common language and examples. He was willingly to go and visit those who were diseased, lame and possessed and have compassion on them. He was willing to wash feet and dine with sinners. When it was time, he allowed himself to die such a cruel death while knowing not only that he was innocent, but that he could have stopped it. To top it all off, he all of this because his father asked him to. Talk about being humble!
If we would just look we can all find more ways to humble ourselves and to serve one another. More importantly, if we look we may find that what God wants… is more janitors.