He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.” vss. 2-3
Isaiah 42:1-9
Isaiah’s descriptions of the Servant have been an inspiration to people of faith for centuries. While he likely intended them to refer to Israel’s mission and purpose as the called people of God, they obviously impacted Jesus’ understanding of his mission and have been adopted as a standard by his followers ever since. Isaiah’s words quite simply cannot be improved upon–the imagery is obvious. “A bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench.” The description exudes gentleness. It’s the Christ-like life in a nutshell. Those who are servants of the Most High will tenderly care for the broken and the hurting, and offer listening ears to people on the fringes. There will be no bombastic declarations or thundering denunciations. There’ll be no need for public demonstrations or political power plays. Instead, the servant will offer direct care out of sight with subtle reminders and quiet encouragement. There’ll be fervent prayers and personal modeling of the godly life. Even now, outside the scrutiny of reporters and pundits, there are millions of people on earth who are doing this behind-the-scenes work to bring justice and peace. Praise God for those servants who are making Isaiah’s Servant incarnate! They are the hope of the world!
Thought for the Day: Where have I met such servants?
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