Previous Reflections
REFLECTIONS
December 7, 2008
"My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.”
Luke 1:46-48
Humble Servant
Odell is the only one that could keep John under control. When he became too gruff, or too loud, or his antics began to stretch the bounds, her quiet voice would calm his mood. With her soft words, “Now John…,” he would shift his shoulders to ignore her caution, but his demeanor would soon calm into a reluctant silence.
If ever a marriage was made in heaven, it was this one. John needed Odell; and serving John was Odell’s calling. She was as quiet as he was loud. But one should not confuse her calm manner with a passive nature—quite the opposite. Odell was a doer, a humble servant who served her family, her friends, and her Lord. There was nothing especially notable about her deeds because she never drew attention to them. She was much like a shepherd—ever watchful and always there in times of need.
But to many, Odell went unnoticed. Humble servants usually are. But God notices them. Perhaps Mary would have gone unnoticed too if God had not chosen her to give birth to his Son. Even then she went unnoticed until Jesus was later revealed as the Messiah. Prior to that, Mary might have lived as a humble servant to her family, to her friends, and to her Lord just as Odell did.
And I wonder if Joseph was anything like John—a man with a warm genuine love for his wife and children for sure. But I wonder if Mary was not also chosen by God to serve Joseph—to calm him when his voice became gruff, or too loud, or when his antics began to stretch the bounds. I wonder if with Mary’s soft words, “Now Joseph…,” he would shift his shoulders to ignore her caution, but his demeanor would soon calm into a reluctant silence. We don’t know. But we do know that Mary was a humble servant. It was her calling. It was Odell’s calling too.
It’s easy to overlook humble servants. But somewhere behind those that bask in the spotlight also stands a humble servant like Mary or Odell. They bless our lives.
I remember Odell at Christmastime because her soul glorified the Lord and her spirit rejoiced in her Savior. She was one of God’s humble servants whose life blessed many others.
And I am one of those whose life was so blessed.
“You are the light of the world,”
Richard Ì
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