Everyone wants to be Batman. No one wants to be Robin – much less the Dynamic Duo’s humble servant, Alfred Pennyworth.

When Jesus invites us to identify ourselves with God’s mission, he does not call us to be superheroes, or even sidekicks. Instead, he invites us to be servants.

In ancient Roman and Jewish families, servants existed on the lowest rung of the social ladder. Like Alfred, they were expected to be ready to do their master’s bidding at a moment’s notice. When the master left home, he handed his house over to his servants. He expected them to be faithful while he was gone and to be ready to serve him upon his return – whenever that might be.

Jesus teaches his disciples to identify with servants. If they wish to truly serve God in the world, they must be willing to identify with those on the lowest social rung. Like Alfred, a servant does not have the most exciting job – it is far more exciting to be Batman, or even Robin. However, even though a servant’s status was the lowest in ancient culture, it was necessary to the faithful running of a household. A good servant, therefore, needed to be supportive, humble, ready, and faithful at all times.

Ready for Action

The text opens with two images that speak of being prepared and ready for the master’s arrival: “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit” (Luke 12:35).

“Be dressed for action” is literally translated, “Let your loins or waists be girded.” This metaphor takes us all the way back to one of Israel’s defining moments – the Exodus from Egypt and the Passover meal that preceded it (Exodus 12).

On the night before their liberation from Egyptian bondage, the Israelites were commanded to eat their final meal – the Passover meal – in a state of ready anticipation: “This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the Passover of the Lord” (Exodus 12:11). They were to be dressed for action – their loose robes firmly tucked under their belts to free their legs to move swiftly. There were to eat dressed for their upcoming journey, with a strong sense of urgency, able to leave at a moment’s notice.

“Have your lamps lit” can also be translated, “Keep the candle burning.” Again, this echoes the experience of ancient Israel. Like the lamps that perpetually remained lit in the temple, Jesus calls his disciples to remain in a constant state of watchfulness, even, if necessary, into the dead of the night and the wee hours of the morning.

Two Illustrations

Jesus provides two illustrations to demonstrate the kind of readiness he expects.

The first is that of a wedding. In an event-oriented rather than time-oriented culture, ancient wedding celebrations could last for up to a week, so the exact time of a master’s return would be unpredictable. Jesus even mentions the possibility of the master returning in the middle of the night or even early dawn. The point: no matter how late the master arrives, the servants are ready to welcome him home.

The second illustration is that of a thief. When a master leaves for a wedding, the servants know that he will eventually arrive. A break-in by a thief is another matter altogether. Thieves make it their business to catch people unaware. The only way for a servant to ward off a thief’s attack is to remain in a constant state of readiness at all times. This is Jesus’ point: because they never know when danger may strike, Jesus’ disciples must remain watchful and ready at all times.

The Blessing

Twice in this text, Jesus pronounces a beatitude – a blessing – upon disciples who demonstrate the readiness of a faithful servant: “Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes… blessed are those slaves” (Luke 12:37a, 38b; cf. 43). According to Jesus, ready servants are blessed by God.

The fullness of this blessing is not just found in the reward that service to others naturally brings. The fullness of this blessing is known in the master’s behavior toward ready servants: “Truly I tell you, the master will fasten his belt and have his alert slaves sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them” (Luke 12:37b).

“A role reversal takes place, for the master has the slaves “sit down to eat” (literally, he makes them “recline,” as at a banquet) and then serves them.”[1] In a startling role reversal, unheard of in ancient culture, the master and servant exchange roles. In this role reversal, the master serves the servant and the servant shares the privileges and benefits of the master.[2]

Jesus himself made it clear that he came “to serve rather than be served” (Matthew 20:28). Later in Luke, Jesus makes this clear: “For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27). He demonstrated this throughout his entire ministry. This is most evident when he washes the disciples’ feet on the night of his betrayal and arrest (John 13).

Many Christians have experienced the tender service of God in this way. And yet, all we have experienced is simply a foretaste of what is to come. This text implies that when Jesus returns in glory, he will still take the role of a servant! Jesus is the Lord who serves! Like the good master, his authority is expressed, not in overpowering the servants, but in tender table service. This is a picture of authentic authority – true power. This is the God we are called to imitate!

This – God’s service to his servants – is the blessing that Jesus holds out to his disciples. Certainly, maintaining a state of faithful readiness is difficult, but, in the end, it will be worth the wait!

Worth the Wait!

The master’s delay should not cause us to lose heart. We are called to watch readily, wait faithfully, and serve steadily until the master arrives. We know that our labor will not be in vain, for even though we do not know exactly when the master arrives, we know that he eventually will. And then, all our efforts will be worth it.

It will be worth the wait! All good things are worth waiting for!

At the end of the day, like Alfred Pennyworth faithfully awaiting the arrival of Batman, all we can is wait. We must know our place and role. We are humble servants – Alfreds, not Batmans – who support our true superhero with our ready posture of service.

This state of faithful readiness speaks of devoted love and faithful commitment. Like a faithful spouse, awaiting the arrival of his or her beloved, we await our love’s return.

Jesus’ call to urgent readiness reminds me of the sad failure of the disciples to remain awake with him during his grueling and prayerful preparation for his Passion. In spite of his three-fold plea to watch and wait with him, the disciples all fell asleep. At the time of Jesus’ greatest need, they failed him. They were not ready, watchful, or faithful. They were not aware of the urgency of the situation. How often are we like them?

When we grow tired of waiting and become lax in service we must remind ourselves of who it is we serve and the ultimate blessing of his service to us. We serve the Lord who serves! A God who more resembles the humble and ready servant, Alfred Pennyworth, than the superhero, Batman.

It is not a demotion to bear the status of servant. Indeed, with God in Christ as our perfect pattern, to serve God and others is the greatest, most exalted, thing we could ever do. It is, in a word, heroic.

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© Richard J. Vincent, 2006