Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. (Philippians 2:6)
Then the LORD spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.”
This time Jonah obeyed the LORD’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all. On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.
When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:
“No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”
When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3 NLT)
I’ve had the privilege of knowing two people who, despite being in positions where they could be seen as important or held power over others, could often be found taking on tasks “below their status” or helping people in need.
Tom would park two blocks from his office to ensure the close parking spaces were available for visitors. On his way to his office, he would pick up any garbage that was on the grass or sidewalk and put it in a garbage can. If he were stopped on his way to his office by someone asking for directions, he wouldn’t just point them where to go; he would take them to their destination, even if it meant he would be late for an appointment. Tom was the president of the university I worked for.
Dale offered me my first real, paying job. In the morning, he would assign the different tasks we needed to tackle that day. As the hired hand, I expected to be given the jobs that were not very glamorous and usually hard and dirty. But on more days than not, Dale would give himself the dirty jobs and let me have the air-conditioned tractor or the “easier” jobs for the day. Dale owned a dairy farm, and he could have given me all the menial jobs and kept the easier ones for himself. After all, he owned the farm and had put in his time.
Both men modelled for me the essence of Philippians 2:6 and the idea of Jesus being a servant King. These men didn’t take their positions – one being the president of a university, the other the owner of a dairy farm – as something they should exploit. Instead, they modelled humility and self-sacrifice. Their examples inspired me and others to live our lives in similar ways.
I have held many different roles and positions, and I have tried to remember that my role or position does not elevate who I am and I should be quick to serve rather than expect to be served.
Today, as you reflect on this week’s verse and today’s passage, what do you sense God asking you to pay attention to? Has an attitude of entitlement crept into your life? Are you looking for opportunities to serve those around you? Where are you demonstrating a similar heart attitude as Jesus, exhibiting humility, self-sacrifice, and a willingness to be obedient to the will of God?
Terry Okken is the NAB director of Ministry Advancement.