Berwick Thought for the Week: An interesting week on Holy Island

Susan and I have just spent a privileged week living in Holy Island Vicarage, leading morning and evening services each day for islanders and pilgrims drawn from Argentina, Canada, USA, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, and even Yorkshire.

At the start of each service we introduced ourselves to one another, before settling down to pray for ourselves, those we held in our hearts, the world and all in authority.

Morning and evening, my prayers included “for those who have sought paid or voluntary authority in local and national government, that each may serve without self interest, be given a vision of The Servant Christ who came to serve before being served”.

This led to some interesting discussions afterwards about the nature of authority and how folk felt they were being governed, how their home society was ordered, how politicians managed world conflict, national economies and healthcare, and the provision of local services.

I was once taught that the higher one’s rank in life, the greater one’s servant responsibility, whether in church structures, the military, local and national politics, commercial management, any sphere of life.

Promotion bringing greater opportunities to serve others, not to lord it over them, hence my love of Matthew 20 v27 “whoever wants to be first among you must be your servant” words from Jesus who knelt down and washed the feet of others.