We wish to see Jesus
by Colleen Fitzpatrick
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‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus’ (John 12:20).
This is a different story from yesterday. Rather than asking who Jesus is, the Greeks (Gentiles) are asking for him by name. They know who he is, and they want to see him.
There seems to be a bit of a Chinese whisper to pass the message onto Jesus! Jesus’ response that is recorded here foreshadows his death and the glory of his resurrection. He uses the analogy of the grain of wheat that needs to fall into the earth and dies but then grows and produces much fruit.
I am reminded of my dad, a sheep-and-wheat farmer. I loved going out with him when the crops were growing and ripening. I can still visualise him plucking a head of wheat and rubbing the chaff from the grains with his big farmer’s hands so that he could see how the harvest was coming along. A farmer needs to pick the right time to harvest – when the wheat is dry and golden, and the ears are ripe and full.
There is a message for each of us here as well. If we follow Jesus, we will have eternal life; in order to serve Jesus, we must follow him. How good are we at being Jesus’ servant? I’m not sure about you, but I don’t know many people with the job title of servant. I’m more familiar with the term ‘servant leadership’.
A servant leader focuses on the good of the community and the wellbeing of the people. Rather than exercising power, a servant leader shares it and puts the needs of others first. Such a leader is willing to learn from others. Now, what would our world look like if we all had servant hearts?
And surely, if we have a servant heart for others, we would also be seeing in them God’s image in which they are created, and in them, we would see Jesus.
Dear Jesus, please give us servant hearts that we may serve you by helping others. Help us to think of others before ourselves and see your face in those we meet. You have promised you will be with us as we serve you, and we ask that you would help us provide that service with a loving and joy-filled heart. Amen.
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