The Servant: Those Who Are a Service to Others

“I had no specific policy position or detailed plan for the future when I walked out of prison. But I did have a very clear conviction that all of us, black and white, were bound together in ways that were inescapable. Our shared humanity was greater and deeper than any racial or political divide. Resentment and vengeance would only perpetuate the cycle of hatred, and my country had already paid too great a price in blood and tears. I knew that when I left prison, I must leave bitterness and hatred behind, or else I would still be in prison. For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” - Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom

Unlike the antagonist or the master, the servant lives from a quiet perspective toward others rather than pursuing arrogance or self-display. They are successful because they are willing to enter another person's world and take some of their burdens. Empathy and compassion, the uncommon capacity to experience another person's emotions, are at the heart of this way of thinking.

These people usually get their strength from an internal sense of the resilience and authenticity. They have set aside energy to give because they are not always battling to protect their own frail ego.Take for example Marcus Aurelius, who ought to have been an exemplar of power as the emperor of Rome. Nevertheless, he constantly reminds himself in his Meditations to live for the benefit of others and to consider himself a part of Rome as a whole. He was able to view service as the highest point of power rather than a weakness because of his internal discipline and acceptance of mortality.

The servant has an almost limitless energy when they have a purpose. They are fulfilled by the meaning of their work. Mother/Saint Teresa of Calcutta for decades spent living in Calcutta's slums serve as an example of this reality. Why would one woman dedicate herself to the untouchable castes of society? Not public recognition or ambition, in fact, a lot of her work was kept a secret. It was the profound understanding that the greatest calling in life was to serve the most vulnerable in society.

The servant's path is often cut out by the wounds themselves. People who have experienced pain firsthand acquire a sensitivity that others do not. After years of incarceration, Nelson Mandela might have come out of Robben Island resentful and vindictive. Rather than shattering South Africa, his pain strengthened his determination to mend it. His leadership was derived from the learned experience of perseverance rather than authoritative self-justified political power. His source of moral authority was pain, appropriately transformed into empathy.

The servant never acts out of obligation or vengeance. It is neither service motivated by guilt nor charity done for show. There is a deeper connecting force with humanity itself. Even though they are frequently silent, their actions have a lasting impact on history. They serve as a reminder us, that being a servant does not imply weakness but rather a connection with the most durable kind of power, the capacity to open doors, motivate, and to carry others when they are unable to carry themselves.