What touches me from the First Reading is when God says to Isaiah, “It is too little for you to be my servant.” Instead, “I will make you a light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the ends of the Earth.”

What do you make of that? I don’t love the idea of being subservient, but I don’t mind being a servant of God. It puts me in mind of Mary’s response after the angel Gabriel says God wants her to bear the Christ: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.” Look, if being a servant of God is good enough for Mary, it’s good enough for me too.

And yet, God says that it’s not enough. God wants more.

This past Saturday, I was listening to Pray-as-you-go, a daily prayer by the British Jesuits. On Saturdays they offer an Examine prayer, and this particular one asked me to reflect on a gift of the week. Then it said, “It would be a poor week when God only gave you one gift or grace. So now ask for a wider view, that you might see more clearly all the blessings that you’ve received in this first week of the New Year.” As I thought about it, I realized that it’s true. Out of a whole week, God doesn’t usually give just one gift. If I really pay attention, there are gifts all through the week. In fact, that’s kind of God’s MO, isn’t it? God doesn’t usually give meager gifts. God gives more. And more. And more. “It is too little for you to be my servant.” It seems like God wants more from us too.

If I’m someone’s servant, then all I have to do is what they ask. Here’s your tea, God. Well, maybe serving God is different than that, but to be a light to the nations — that takes more than simply following directions. That might take a little discernment, a little more intention. How do I act as a light to the nations?

Does it mean lightening the burdens of the people around me? Is it about witnessing to the hope and peace and joy that I have because of God? Is it about being present with people like God is present?

I think it can look like all those things and more. In our Gospel reading, John says that the reason he baptizes is so that people will recognize Christ. I tend to think that our call is the same as John’s. We may not be radical preachers in the wilderness, but we too, by our lives and all we do, point the way to Christ. Like John, we’re spotlights that shine on Christ so that other people see Christ in their own lives.

It is not enough to be God’s servant. God may be sending us to be a light to each other and to other people, but what does God want from us in relationship to God? It seems like God wants something more mutual, more intentional than a servant-master relationship. God wants a partnership, a friendship. God wants to light us up, to turn us on, so to speak.

To me that begs the question — do I want more too? Do I want to be more than just God’s servant?

Have you ever seen that bumper sticker that says, “My boss is a Jewish carpenter”? Well, besides being theologically problematic, I think it’s limiting. Christ is not my boss. I’ve been in ministry for a number of years now, and so I know that it’s easy for my relationship with God to creep into something merely functional. I noticed that when I first worked in a church. I’d be at Mass on Sunday and wonder, wait — am I worshipping or am I at work? When it’s both, it does take some intentionality to keep my love relationship with God alive. It takes a little discipline with my personal prayer to ensure that God is not just my boss. God wants more, and I want more. Even for people who are not ministers, it’s easy to just go through the motions, to do God’s bidding but not really open and enter into a relationship. But God wants more than mere servitude, and to me, this reading from Isaiah confirms that. Do you want more too?

The only way we can be effective as a light to other people is to allow the light of God to shine through us, and to do that, we need to be in relationship with God, to seek to know God and to allow God to know us. No one is a light to the nations, or to anyone, on their own. God tells Isaiah, “I will make you a light to the nations.” God does the igniting, not us, but we have to be willing to be lit, willing to participate, willing to shine with God.

That’s big.

When I think of Isaiah, Mary, and even John the Baptist, that’s what I see. They may have served God, but they were in deep, intimate relationship with God too. And each one ultimately became a light to the nations (and they continue to shine) — not by their own efforts but by what God did through them. If God’s light is to shine within me, I too need to open myself to intimate, intentional relationship with God. Truly, it’s God who is the light to all nations, and God is a light to me.

So, God wants more from me, and you, than servitude. There’s an invitation here. Will you say yes?

For More Reflection:

• For you, what does it mean to serve God?

• What does being a light to the nations look like?

• What is your relationship with God like as it is now? Do you want more from your relationship with God?

• If God wants more from you, what could that be?

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By Sister Leslie Keener, CDP

Sister Leslie Keener, CDP is the director of God Space, a community-building spirituality ministry in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. She’s a Sister of Divine Providence with a Masters in Ministry and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction and Retreats from Creighton University. She directs retreats, meets with people for spiritual direction, and serves as the vocation director for her community. She also serves on the Coordinating Council of Spiritual Directors International. She enjoys music, meaningful conversations, dancing, and stargazing.