Matthew 20:25-28 reads – But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the Rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Today, in thinking about the gifts of administration, the Bible is not the first place we usually look. In many places, we find the role of administration to include communication, preparing, organizing, and storing information in paper and digital form. Dealing with queries on the phone and by email, greeting visitors, scheduling meetings, and time management.
However, according to Matthew 20:25-28, the gift of administration is service to others. In this service to others, the leader should not exercise authority over people, but instead, lower himself or herself to be a servant. Serving others is the only way to lead with a pure heart, free of pride and arrogance.
Colossians 3:12-13 encourages our service to one another with these words: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another, and if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
As we serve using the gift of administration to residents, colleagues, families and visitors, Matthew 7:12 reminds us of the Golden Rule: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
Serving also includes obedience with a sincere heart. Ephesians 6:5-9 says: Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.”
As we each use our gift of service, let us pray this prayer together:
Lord, we pray today for everyone we know involved in the care of your people at your Baruch facilities. We pray for those who administer rules and regulations, for those who administer medications, for those who lead activities, for those who lovingly clean rooms, for those who tenderly give care to residents. We pray for those in the corporate offices who lead and govern your Baruch facilities. May we all serve you and each other well, that we might live quietly and simply in our humble attitudes. This is how you want us to live. May we glorify you in how we lead and live out our service to you and others.
We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen (1 Timothy2:1-2).
Thank you, everyone, for serving the Lord!
Chaplain Val
