Christian Service

[414 words] One of the essential characteristics of a servant is “humility.” Without this trait the Christian cannot be successful in his attempt to serve. Peter says, “Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another; for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5). Of interest here is the apostle’s use of “gird” (meaning “to clothe ” or “put on”). The word denotes a “knot” or “to tie with a knot.” The term was used at the beginning of the Christian era of the white scarf or apron which slaves wore tightly fastened around their waist to distinguish them from freemen. Used figuratively here, the meaning is to “tie on humility like a slave’s apron.” The Christian is to gird himself with humility in order to equip himself to serve others. Although a different Greek word is used for Jesus girding…