The shoeshine man
by John Fischer
When it comes to serving one another, think of yourself as
the shoeshine man.
We’ve all seen these guys in airports, train stations, and downtown
next to the newsstand. Their workplaces usually consist of two or three
elevated chairs on a platform so they can work at a comfortable level.
The most upscale stations have plush, leather-covered, stuffed chairs and
brass stands for your feet that put your shoes out where the shiners can
work around them easily. Shining shoes is a servant’s position that bears
image of a happy-go-lucky soul, snapping his polishing cloth over shiny
wing tips while cracking jokes or singing along with the radio.
A successful businessman, of course, would identify with the guy on the throne,
never the one shining shoes. And yet were Jesus here today, he would point to the
shoeshine man as being the one to emulate. It’s the closest thing in our society to
what Jesus did when he washed the disciples’ feet, and then he told his disciples to
go and do the same. He lowered himself to a place of servanthood and met the
needs of those around him.
Serving others begins with how you see yourself. Paul said, “So look at Apollos
and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s
secrets.” (1 Corinthians 4:1 NLT) “Mere servants.” You can’t serve without first
seeing yourself as a servant. If being a shoeshine man seems too demeaning, you
may need to rethink your calling and purpose in life, because a big part of that
purpose is to serve others instead of being served.
And you can’t see yourself as a servant without looking up to those around you.
That’s the other part of this image that works with Christ’s foot-washing example.
This whole arrangement puts you down and the other person up. For the shoeshine
man, the customer is the V.I.P. The customer is on the throne in the plush seat.
Your purpose is to put others on the throne instead of insisting on being there yourself.
I don’t know about you, but for me, this is a radical redistribution of power.
So remember today, you’re a servant. You don’t need recognition – you don’t need attention –
because it’s not about you; it’s about the people you serve. And if you forget …
just remember the shoeshine man.
