My Chosen Servant

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"Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry..."(Matthew 12:18-19).

Jesus shows us by His example what a chosen and anointed servant is like. First, He shall not strive. The word means, "to contend, to dispute; to argue with irritating persistence." This, Jesus never did; nor should we who seek to follow His way. He spoke the truth in love, and what He said stood on its own merits -- needing no argument to attest to its authenticity.

Second, He shall not cry. This doesn't mean He will not shed tears, for we have read that Jesus wept. Rather, the word means, "to make a clamor; to protest insistently and noisily." You know, it's that obnoxious and dominating style of pontificating that so often shows up in public debates. In fact, the distinction between striving and crying is the one is private, and the other public.

Striving is how one individual acts when speaking to another individual, particularly if the other disagrees with what is being said. Crying is how an individual acts when speaking to a crowd; using hype and emotion, and force of opinion, as a cover for his lack of truth and substance.

Thomas Carlyle said, "In any controversy, the moment we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth and have begun striving for ourselves."

As you scan the broad range of voices competing for your attention, take special note of those who do not strive, nor cry. Give them a listen, and if their speech and spirit bring honor to Jesus, then heed what they say -- follow where they lead. For you have come upon a chosen servant.

Finally, in the greater sense, pray that you may be such a person -- someone whom God would choose to use; in whom He is well-pleased, and upon who He would put His spirit. Someone so anchored in truth and covered with love that there is no need for striving and crying -- just serving for the greater good of all who cross your path.

Wouldn't that be something?
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