Z K Pahrii Pou
Just imagine how would you react, if the President of USA who is considered to be the most powerful man on earth, were to come and wash your feet this afternoon? From faraway place, he would be coming in a special aircraft with hundreds of body guards, entourage, and lovely wife just to wash your feet. Ah! It’s difficult to imagine!!! When that happens, your picture would be flashed in TV, all the print media will carry your picture in front page all over the world. Then, Oh! Your life would be totally different!!! Or just imagine what would be your reaction if the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh were to give up his job to become your servant. He would come and wash your clothes, cook food and make tea for you. As a servant sometimes he would receive a nice slap from you too. You would pinch or pull his ear. He has to carry out patiently all what you command him to do.
Well dear friends, it is difficult for us to think of US President washing our feet or the Prime Minister of India giving up his Post to become a servant. By chance if that happens, people will consider them as ‘abnormal’. For instance, after we finish M.Th or doctoral studies, if we insist on to be a College Chowkidar/peon, everyone will consider us as ‘abnormal’. Why because, in our society, generally for a great and powerful person to become a powerless person, or for the rich and educated people to take up a blue-collar job is a demeaning profession. We believe that the strong ones have to be served by those who are weak and powerless. Generally it is accepted norm that the President, the Prime Minister, the IAS Officers, the politicians, mission workers, pastors are there to be served and not to serve others. It is a shameful thing in our society that the strong one should become weak and serve their fellow beings.
Well friends, God created all creatures so that they would live in peace, harmony and multiply. However, violence, oppression, discrimination and domination continued to be the destiny of human beings. God must have been really, really upset with human beings for this wickedness. God might have thought that those who are wicked and disobedient have no right to live and therefore should be destroyed or deal harshly. God might have realised that to be God means to control the whole universe with power and control with iron hand. This might be the reason why God expelled Adam and Eve from Eden Garden. But that did not bring good result. Therefore, God, out of love, might have thought that it would be better to destroy wicked people. Accordingly, during the time of Noah, God destroys all human beings except Noah’s family members and daughter-in-laws. The citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah experienced such wrath/anger of this jealous God. But human continue to disobey God. Even during the time of Exodus, God probably extends God’s long hand to help the people of Isreal, to fight and kill thousands of people mercilessly to the extent of wiping out the whole villagers with all livestock. God might have tried to run the daily affairs of the world with iron hand and establish a just and better world. God’s plan of overseeing the world with iron hand miserably failed because human beings did not become better. Then, God must have ‘felt sorry’ for the way God acted as God. God must have given a deep thought on how to be God and realized that there is better way to be God than before.
This time God was wise enough to deal with the situation of wicked generation. He did not use this situation to justify another destruction against human beings. But God chose to die and become an atonement for us. This is what Philippians 2 is talking about. This chapter is a good summary of the whole Gospel. Now this powerful God chose to be a very humble God, a sacrificial God, a servant who would be struggling together with people. This is really wonderful. This is the good news we talk about during Christmas celebrations. This is the good news we talk about during Good Fridays. Shedding heavenly glories and power is the best way for God to save humanity from destruction and death. ”Jesus though he was in the form of God, took the form of a slave, born in human likeness, humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death- even death on a cross.” He left behind power, honour and glory.
Jesus did not felt shy to become a slave and been born in a manger. He did not felt shy to wash His disciples’ feet. He did not felt shy to serve the sick, the poor and the downtrodden. He did not felt shy to carry the cross – reserved for the worst criminals. He even told his disciples to be the servant of all if they really wanted to be great in the kingdom of God. I think, now is the right time for all of us to ponder seriously who our God is. Or what kind of God do we serve and worship. How we are going to live as a follower of Jesus?
The world’s history is full of wars and conflicts. This is because people wanted to show off their power. This is because people wanted to assert that “I am the greatest” or “I am the best”. This reminded us of Lucifer- that challenged God and brought problems. Look at our own society. Why is there no peace? Is not this because of the clash of ego: personal ego, family, clan, tribe’s ego and so on. Our people are proud thinking that /she is the best politician, the richest, the most educated one and so on. In our society, no one is willing to live humbly. No one is willing to become ‘lamb’ but wanted to be ‘wolf’ all the time. No one is ready to forgive others. Everyone tries to build up their own empire and become proud. We want others to serve us. This is a great challenge for all of us - say the followers of Jesus Christ.
If God also repents, why are not we? Prophet Jonah does not want God to repent as we do. Jonah wanted those who are disobedient and do not worship God to die. He did not want people to live especially his enemies (the people of Nineveh). We want to destroy others but God wants to save all people. I think this is the right time for all of us to ponder seriously again who our God is. And how should we live? I am talking about President or Prime Minister. What does it meant? I do not mean that we should not become President or Prime Minister or any other Officers or Church leaders. I am not telling that we all should throw away our degrees or jobs and become servant. But the point here is that –are they working for the betterment of all people? Are they humble and faithful in their callings and serving others faithfully? We need to humble down, and sacrifice, if necessary, our own interest for the betterment of society.
In the community of God, the higher ups should humble down and serve the lowly people. The rich, the educated, the politician, the stronger clan, tribe or nation should not try to build their own empire and oppress the weak. If the higher ups serve the weak, how easy it would be for the common people to serve others in humility. Even among Christian community, mission leaders, pastors, executive secretary etc., should humble down. When we serve each other in humility, there will be peace and harmony in our society. This is the best way to save live from destruction and death. While human beings attached much importance to wealth and power and honour the rich and powerful, God is moved only by humility. Humility is what God values most. Humility is basic component of God’s nature. Therefore, it is only through humility we can serve God and our fellow beings. We must have the kind of humility of Jesus in us wherever we work and live. If humility becomes a friend of the rich and powerful people, the world would be a much better place to live. No one will go hungry then. Oppression and discrimination of any form would cease. Everyone will serve everyone. Egalitarian society would emerge. The name of God can be truly manifested only through humility. May God transform us to become a man and woman of humility so that others will see the beauty of Jesus in us.
