“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28

I believe Servant is one of the most radical and countercultural names for God.

To be King and Ruler—and yet not lord that power over creation, but instead humbly come to serve, to give, and to sacrifice—may be one of the most upside-down realities of the Kingdom of God.

When I think of Jesus as servant, the story that most readily comes to mind is found in John 13, where Jesus washes His disciples’ feet. I’m struck by their reactions. They resist. They argue. They try to stop Him. This is not how the world works.

The rabbi does not wash feet.
The teacher does not take the place of the lowest servant.

And yet Jesus does.

In that moment, He flips power on its head and shows us that true authority does not grasp or dominate—it kneels. True power looks like self-giving love.

John tells us something important about this moment. Before Jesus kneels, he reminds us that Jesus knew who He was—He knew that the Father had given all things into His hands, that He had come from God, and that He was returning to God.

It was that deep security—His identity, His relationship with the Father, His purpose—that gave Him the freedom to kneel. Jesus had nothing to prove, nothing to earn, nothing to protect.

Worldly power clings and dominates because it is afraid of losing control. But Jesus, secure in who He is, is free to love, free to serve, free to give Himself away.

Reflecting on God as servant reorients what I value. Life is not about how much I can accumulate, but about how much I can give. Jesus didn’t just teach this; He embodied it. He showed us what it looks like to live fully human—open-handed, attentive, and shaped by love.

The Servant King invites me to lay down my need to be impressive, important, or in control, and instead to follow Him into a life marked by humility, generosity, and quiet faithfulness.

Jesus, Servant King,
Thank You for showing me what true power looks like.
Form in me a heart that is secure in Your love
and free to serve without fear.
Amen.