Confessions of a Kidney Donor...

Reading the title of this confession, I can assume what you all must be thinking. No, I did not donate a kidney to anyone, but my cousin (2nd cousin, cousin once removed, I don't know what she actually is) Linda did. She gave her kidney to her husband Jason. Yep, what better way to say I love you than "Here, have a kidney. I have two." But it got me thinking. It was easy for Linda to give a kidney to Jason. Especially since she loved him. It's easy to serve the ones we love. But what about those we don't care too much for. What about those we dare to consider our enemies?

Being a servant requires a few things. First, love. This includes a willing and humble heart. You can't be selfish when serving. Because it is not for your gain that you do these things. Galatians 1:10 "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." We all know what it means to be called to love our enemies. And nobody needs to be told that its difficult. But to this I say again, look to Christ. He loved Judas unconditionally. He washed his feet. He died for him. And Judas used that love, in the form of a kiss, to turn it around and betray Him. We do what Peter did. We look at Judas and say, "never," but then the time comes and the rooster crows (Luke 22). Love forgives. It is everlasting, regardless of circumstance. Which brings me to my next point.

Second, an unbiased attitude of whom and where you serve. So many people get neglected because of their situations. Being a servant of Christ is not always glamorous. It may lead to have to deal with not so pretty things. I am constantly seeing adds on t.v. telling me to volunteer in an after school children's program. Children are just by nature, for most of us, pretty easy to serve. They are so fun to be around. But when was the last time you served by cleaning up the bed pans of the hospital patients? That's the most disgusting job I could think of. But Jesus did it in a second. He stooped to the lowest level imaginable- a human- to demonstrate his love. Matthew 25:35-36 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'"

Third, being a servant requires a life long commitment. Even unto death. To love and to serve to the point of a spear. Jim Elliot understood this call. This is the call of a martyr. I was reading Acts the other day and I came upon Acts 20:24, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." The first part of this verse just sticks to me. Now, I'm not saying we all should go get killed right now for the sake of Christ, but to me, there is no better way to die. I know this may sound morbid, because martyrs often die excruciating deaths. I don't envy them that. And pray that I'll never have to go through it. But what better way to go? The martyrs speak more for the sake of spreading the gospel than a thousand preachers. And if I'm going to die, I might as well do it working for the Lord. The only thing I want people to say of me after I'm gone is, "She said 'yes'."

When I was in the Dominican Republic this past summer, we took an oath of servanthood. We washed each other's feet (very difficult to do since I am excruciatingly ticklish). When finished, we tore the rags and wrapped them around our wrist. They were to serve as a reminder of the commitment to be a servant for not only the rest of the trip, but for life. I think I'm going to start wearing it again. Because I need the daily reminder to not only serve my friends and family, but those who I really just can't stand. John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

Would I be willing to give a kidney to my enemies?

Jesus gave his life.