Honored Servant

"Each year the Euless Police Department selects an outstanding civilian employee as the recipient of the "Bill Harvell" Civilian of the Year Award. This award is presented to honor the memory of Lieutenant Bill Harvell who passed away in 1975. At the dimeof his death, Lieutenant Harvell commanded the civilian services of the Euless Police Department. the recipient of the year's award has been chosen because she exemplifies the high standards set by Lieutenant Harvell. She is recognized by all as someone who is always willing to go the extra mile to improve the work environment and assist those in need. Her own personal needs routinely take a back seat to the needs of those she serves . . . her police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and citizens.

For her outsanding service and performance, Tammy Barnes has been selected as the 2008 recipient of the Bill Harvell Award.

Signed, Michael G. Brown, Chief of Police"

So many times we honor people for their achievements. Top seller. Fastest runner. Best actor. Yet, this past Friday evening, we were invited to a dinner where those that were being honored were being recognized, not for their measured success, but for their immeasurable service. They were people like the reserve officer who had served for decades as a volunteer and was now retiring. Or the officer who, even though he was receiving treatments for cancer, still managed to come in to work as often as he could so that he could serve the City. And then there is Tammy, who is often embarassed by the recognition, or who would name 2 or 3 others she thinks could have won the award she was honored to receive. These people did not achieve special numbers or percentages of success. It was not based on degree of education, nor on annual salary. They were honored because they served, often selflessly, their fellow employees and the citizens of the city they represent.

I was struck at how clearly the Biblical principle of "greatness" was exemplified in the life of those honored at the dinner. Over and over Jesus said that if we wanted to be great, we must serve, we must become like the "least of these." Remember, "the last shall be first"? It is a crazy, backwards principle, but one that Christ lived even to his last moments on earth. Yesterday, my pastor reminded us of a dinner where honor was bestowed, not with awards, but with a crazy act of service. It was Jesus's and the Disciples' last evening together, and the Disciples were arguing about which one of them was going to be greater in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus overhears them and says tells them to be great, they must become a servant. Then, He begins to prepare a basin of water and gather towels, so the King of Kings, the Creator of Creation, could wash their feet. Imagine, the One who performed miracles, the One who turned water into wine, the One who made the lame man to walk, the One who calmed the stormy sea, the One who could have spoken the word and their feet would have been clean, chose to kneel on the ground before each of them, gather their feet into His hands and scrub the filth and dirt of the streets off of them. Not because they were griping. Not because He thought if He asked one of them to do it, they would gripe the whole time. Not because He knew if He did ask one of them to do it, that disciple would be considered "less than" by the other disciples because of their culture. He did it because He loved them enough to show them that He would even take the most menial task to serve them. And to me, one of the way you show honor to someone, you serve them. Yet, the disciples are not the honored ones in this story. It is the man who bowed his knee and who, a few hours later, would lay down His life, who is exalted and celebrated.

Ah, but I am not done, because there is something else significant. He didn't just wash the feet of His friends, He washed the very feet of the one who would turn Him over to the ones who were plotting to kill Him. Christ washed the feet of Judas. Isn't it interesting that even to the last betrayal, Jesus still longed for the soul of the man who would had made a deal with Satan. Sweet beloved friend, Jesus still longs for your soul as well. There is nothing you have done, nothing you can do, nothing you want to do, nothing you will ever do, that will stop Him from passionately pursuing your soul. He longs for you. He loves you. He wants a relationship with you. And He wants these things, not so He can have more people in Heaven than their are in Hell, not so He can win a contest. The battle is already one, and He is already the victor. He does not want you to come to know Him for His sake, He wants a relationship with you for your sake.

This week is Easter week. There is no easier time to come back to Him or to discover Him for the first time. Don't let pride or fear keep you away. If you want to talk or have more questions, you can contact me, either in comments or by email or by cell phone. If you need a place to attend church, let me know where you live, and I'll help you find a place. If you need to cry or to celebrate or to pray with someone, you know where to find me. The best part is that there is a promise you can go to the bank with, God said, "If you seek Me, you WILL find Me." (emphasis mine) Seek Him, my friend. He already knows where you are, and where you've been, and He can't wait for you to get to know Him, so you can understand the magnitude of His love.