I recently returned from a trip to Israel, where I led worship for a church tour! It was a super full trip, but always such a gift to be where Jesus walked, worked and gave His life for us!

During the first week of the tour, our team was staying in Tiberias, which is on the west shore of the Sea of Galilee. We spent a few days in the town, and one of those days we were able to take a boat ride across the sea as we shared worship and heard a teaching. The Sea of Galilee looks less like a sea and more like a lake, so it can be hard to picture the story in the gospels that talks about Jesus calming the stormy sea when he was on the boat with his disciples. You may look at what seems like a harmless sea and think, “Really, guys? THIS sea scared you?” But, I was actually happy that for the few days we were around Galilee, it was stormy! I mean, massive thunder, lightning and major downpours off and on for three days! This stormy weather made it WAY easier to understand the fear the disciples may have felt as they bobbed around on the stormy sea thinking they weren’t going to make it.

Now that I have set the stage for the story, I want to tell you a modern story of servanthood.

While we were on our bumpy boat ride, the wind was whipping through any crack and crevice of the thick, clear plastic sheeting that was meant to keep the wind out. Us Californians hunkered down as much as we could to try to stay warm under our hoodies and single-use plastic bag type ponchos. Sitting next to me was a woman named Diane, her husband Harold was sitting on the other side of the boat. During the teaching, he walked over to her, took off his thick coat and wrapped it around her shoulders so that she would be protected from the wind. He then walked back to his spot wearing only a long sleeve t-shirt in the freezing wind! I was struck not only by his thoughtfulness for the woman he loves but for the joy it brought him to serve her. He smiled brightly as he looked at her from across the boat, content that his sweet wife was now warm and protected from the wind.

It was then that I realized that the definition of being a servant is allowing yourself to be uncomfortable, in order to make someone else comfortable.

Harold didn’t give his wife his jacket so he would appear to be husband of the year. It was apparent by the joy it gave him, that he gave her his jacket to ensure that she was taken care of, comfortable and happy. What a true example of a servant! I wish you could have seen these two during the trip! They were so cute; Harold was always making sure Diane had what she needed, helping her walk on uneven ground, taking her hand to help her up steps, and they even walked together holding pinkies! It was the cutest thing ever!

In the books of Mark and Matthew, you may have read the story of the sons of Zebedee. There was a bit of an argument on their account because they asked Jesus if He would do them a favor and let them sit in places of honor, one on His right and the other on His left in Heaven. Silly sons of Zebedee! They were wanting status and thinking all they had to do was ask for it because they had connections with the big man.

Little did they know, status was the very LAST thing Jesus was about. On the contrary, Jesus was all about serving others and giving away His status, His position to become just like us. In Mark 10 verse 42-45 Jesus reels His disciples back in because they were getting a little irritated at this whole “place of honor” business.

It says: “Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’” (Matthew 20:25-28).

So, Jesus set those sons of Zebedee straight by letting them know that they had it all backward. His whole reason for coming was to serve others, not to be served, and as a matter of fact, He came to give up absolutely everything, the ultimate sacrifice, His own life to ransom all of ours. Talk about being uncomfortable to make others comfortable…Jesus took death to give us life!

Our “sacrifice” in this life is nothing compared to what Jesus did for us.

As I watched Harold care so tenderly for his wife, not for his gain, but for hers, my heart was completely touched and stirred. It reminded me that my job is to be a servant, not to be served, in order to make myself more comfortable. And another thing, not once did I see Harold point his thumbs towards himself and say, “Did everyone see me? I gave up my jacket to my wife! I am the husband OF THE YEAR! Take notes, boys!” No, he did it in humility and genuineness and simply because he really loves his wife, and he showed it by serving her.

What ways might God be asking you to serve others? Have you had times where you have thought, “Well, if I do that for them, then who will do it for me?” Or maybe you’re like me, “Well, if my husband eats my last french fry, there will be fewer fries for me! No one gets between me and my fries.” I know, it’s a problem; pray for me.

One of the last things Jesus did with His disciples was to wash their feet, an act of total service to them. In this way, He showed them that even He was willing to bend low to serve others, and He was GOD! What an example left to us by Jesus. I hope that this encourages us to live our lives looking for ways to serve others. Try to think of some simple ways today that you can reach out to help someone else; I know you will be blessed for it!

I decided to run for a seat on the Oxnard City Council in the recent midterm elections, after it became clear that was what God’s Spirit was telling me to do. I have to admit, it’s not what I wanted, and it took a while to comply. The nudge to run began a couple of years ago with a mild awareness it was something I needed to pray about. I didn’t. And I didn’t because I was concerned God would tell me to run. The subject kept coming up at various times in diverse conversations. I waved them off.

After a while, what made them difficult to wave off was the recurring delays our church experienced in the city’s issuing us permits to build out our new facility. Our church has outgrown its current facility and purchased the building next door as a new sanctuary and offices. A process that ought to have taken no more than four months took six times that long: two full years! These delays were due to a Byzantine permit process that discourages business. Without a healthy business environment, a community cannot prosper.

Then, at a pastors conference, one speaker after another made remarks that were hard not to interpret as confirmations I was to run. A chance encounter with a close friend and his wife saw words spoken that were clear and certain confirmation. I realized and repented of the error of resisting God and “gave in.” I thought it best to wait till 2020 to run. When I learned the new district structure in Oxnard meant the district where I live would not come up again until 2022, I decided now was the time and filed papers.

The Campaign

Having never run for office, I had a steep learning curve. Knowledgeable friends both old and new came to my aid and quickly brought me up to speed. I never did appoint a campaign manager because all the assistance I had made it unnecessary. Though I did not win, we ran a good campaign. We knocked a lot of doors, made a lot of calls, took out adds, used a heavy dose of social media and attended events to get the message out. Despite this, we lost by a handy margin.

The winner was the well-respected incumbent who carries significant name-recognition and is her party’s scion in a community where that party holds a 21% lead. That party’s candidates won all the seats.

What I Learned

God made it clear to me, despite my attempts to ignore it, that I was to run, not necessarily to win. I never sensed a win was certain, only possible. And of course, I ran to win. It would have been disingenuous to conduct the campaign any other way. I discreetly shared this with a few during the lead up to the election. I did so because, by that time, I realized I’d already gained three specific benefits the outcome of the election, whatever it was, couldn’t take away. Those three benefits are:

. Those I Met .

I met people in the course of the campaign I would never have otherwise. I got a chance to meet with city leaders in various departments and civic works and realized our community has amazing potential. I got to meet residents who have no official title but are concerned about Oxnard and committed to its wellbeing. And I learned this: People we disagree with on civic issues think their views are best for the community. Contrary to the echo chamber most people live in where their views are endlessly reinforced, and they never engage a living person with a different view; the fact is, we ALL want what’s best for our city. We just disagree on the best way to what’s best.

Politics is the art and science of compromise. Those who refuse to compromise aren’t politicians; they’re tyrants. People in politics must be willing to give a little to meet others in a middle that sheds the incidentals to embrace the necessities. Give a little to get more. All that begins with healthy relationships.

During the campaign, I learned while it’s easy for demagogues to sit on the sidelines and snipe, those tasked with governing come into a room that has 27 poles on top of which spin 27 plates. They have to run around but not into each other to keep those plates spinning. Without agreement and negotiation, it’s all going to come crashing down.

Though I wasn’t elected, I’ll be following up on the contacts I made, aiming to deepen the relationships and influence the decision makers. Just because I wasn’t elected doesn’t change my call to be a blessing to my city.

. What I Learned about City Matters .

I came into the campaign knowing little about the specific needs of my city. I had what might be called the “fly-over” view. The campaign immersed me to my neck in it. The result is that I now know my community and its needs much better. That’s important in my role as a pastor. Whether on the council or as a resident, my concern and call to serve remains the same because it’s based in my calling before God.

Knowing Oxnard’s specific needs fuels my prayers with greater precision. It also sharpens my focus as I seek to influence decision makers because I know what I’m talking about and what they are dealing with.

Regardless of the outcome of my campaign, a secondary intention in running was to encourage other Christians to enter the civic arena, especially pastors. Here are people accustomed to public speaking, called by God to be a blessing to their community. The very salt and light of God’s Kingdom – let loose in a dark and needy world. Next to leading a church, what better way to bless their community than to run for office and bring the influence of God’s Grace and Truth to the public square?

Knowing my city better can’t help but make me a better pastor because this is the time and place God’s called me to lead His flock.

. What I Learned About Me .

Last is what the campaign taught me about myself. The revelation was simple but embarrassing to share. I was lazy. Maybe that’s not the best word. Productive is better. I wasn’t productive. The form my laziness took is that I avoided the productive work I ought to have been doing with easy work that accomplished little.

As a full-time pastor, I was busy. I had a full calendar and kept a steady pace. Anyone who knew me knew I was busy. How many times a week did I hear, “I know you’re busy, but …”? And to all appearances, I was. People asked me at the outset of the campaign where I was going to find the time. I didn’t know and fretted about it. But guess what, I found the time. No, better—I made the time. I arranged my schedule more efficiently and for two months was both a full-time pastor and ran a campaign for city council. None of my responsibilities were left undone. No one complained that the quality of the pulpit at CCO diminished. On the contrary, several remarked it seemed even more effective.

Only a month into the campaign, I realized how much I was getting done without feeling overworked. I’d mismanaged my time before, filling it up with busy but unproductive work. I came to realize busy and faithful aren’t the same thing. Good stewardship isn’t marked by what you’re doing so much as what you’re producing. I didn’t have a lot to show for all the time I spent. It turned out to be time wasted, not invested. I was busy, but lazy because I occupied myself with easy work that distracted me from harder but more productive work.

I won’t be returning to the old way of busy but unproductive work. Though I didn’t get a seat on the city council, as a pastor, I’m still called to serve my city.