Whose feet would you sit at?
I began to listen to the teaching from our pastor.
A few minutes in, my Schnoodle - a Schnauzer/poodle mix- came and sat at my feet on the footstool like he often does when I sit still. Then a thought stirred, why does he do this? Why does he sit at MY feet? Without hesitation, the Holy Spirit within me said, “Because you are his master.”
-Kara Palmer
We are out of town for the weekend staying at our family’s river house. It is Sunday so I grabbed my phone, a notebook & pencil, and headed to a porch swing overlooking the water to tune into a live broadcast from church. I moved a footstool over to the porch swing thinking how brilliant of an idea this was and why haven’t I thought of this sooner because gentle porch swinging is much more comfortable with a footstool. Then I began to listen to the teaching from our pastor.
A few minutes in, my Schnoodle - a Schnauzer/poodle mix- came and sat at my feet on the footstool like he often does when I sit still. Then a thought stirred, why does he do this? Why does he sit at MY feet? Without hesitation, the Holy Spirit within me said, “Because you are his master.”
We have no issue conceptually with dogs sitting at their master’s feet. Dogs do this willingly as a sign of their affection and loyalty. They draw near to their master out of obedience. Lowering themselves to our feet is their “place” in our minds. They serve us. These thoughts led me to these next questions. “Whose feet would I sit at? Who is my master? It’s 2020- let’s be real, do I really have a master and if I do- how am I living like a servant of my master?”
Here’s the deal. I am a Christian. I know who my master is but He is no longer physically here. What does it look like to sit at a master’s feet who physically isn’t present? How do I show “my master” affection, loyalty, and obedience? How do I serve my master?
To answer this, I had to think back to times when master/servant relationships were commonplace. When a master was absent, a servant would show loyalty and obedience by obeying his commands. This tells me that one way I can “sit at Jesus’s feet” is by obeying what He tells me. Commands like, “Love the LORD with all heart, soul, mind and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:30-31. “Honor your father and mother. Do not lie, steal, murder or commit adultery.” Exodus 20:13-20 These are obvious commands. The ones that are less obvious are to rejoice in ALL things, Philippians 4:4 (that takes spiritual maturity), trust in ALL things, Isaiah 26:4 (incredibly hard) ... I don’t want to diminish anything because I genuinely believe if we are obeying the commands of our master we are ultimately taking a seat at His feet, but I personally don’t just want to take a seat at his feet, I want to SIT AT HIS FEET. There’s a difference. Taking a seat can happen because it is what you are suppose to do or because a seat is available. You can do it out of obligation with little to no affection. But actively choosing to sit - this is different.
I want to SERVE my master with wholehearted affection, not out of convenience or obligation. When my master sits, I am there. When he stands, I am there. How do I serve my master like this?
If you want to be the kind of servant of Jesus that doesn’t just take a seat at his feet but rather actively SITS at his feet you must embrace the heart posture of becoming a servant for Him. You are willing to lose your life for His sake only to find that in losing it, you have found it. Paraphrased from Matthew 16:25. A servant of Jesus has the mindset of Paul. “It is no longer I who lives but Christ who lives in me.” Galatians 2:20 Your obedience, loyalty and affections take on a different look that extend beyond following broad commands and into deep interpersonal commitments to kingdom living and expansion.
Creating a servant and dare we call it “slave” mentality as often referred to by Paul, is counterculture. We live in the “it’s all about me” marketplace where selfies flood our “idolbooks”. We worship the almighty “I” not the Almighty God. Each day we travel further up our own “idol-land” and farther away from hearts that are slaves to the King.
How do we counter our culture? It starts with our heart and our affections. We must stir our affection more for Jesus than our own reflection.
This is what I know. You can’t serve two masters and you can’t sit at your own feet.