A Butler Serves; It’s in the Job Description

One of our family values has been service. We have prayed that service would be in the very fiber/DNA of our family–that each of our children would grow to be servant-hearted individuals, who would seek to help others, in the name of Jesus.

I learned in my early years as a young mother the practice of emphasizing family values by attaching the family name to the value….”We’re Jones’–we do not lie!”…”We’re Johnsons–we strive for excellence!” etc. And, we’ve done this often over the years with various character traits we wanted to be sure our daughters “got.”

One such trait is service. We’ve made many purposeful decisions in serving together as a family over the years, whenever possible, and during those opportunities or when we’ve been in contemplation about whether/how we should help in a situation, we’ve often found ourselves saying “We’re Butlers; we serve!” (our last name is Butler)

This is one of those phrases we’ve said so very many times…whether in narration, to help emphasize what we are doing so our children understand the conscious decision to serve, or in a gentle reminder when one may be tempted to grumble or complain…and, yet, it wasn’t until just a few weeks ago that I said it and actually “heard it” in a new light.

“We’re Butlers….we serve.” How had I not heard it before???

Butlers are those employed to serve others–to tend to their needs, to lighten their loads, to give particular specialized attention and care to others. Hmm….what a beautiful tie to our family identity!

I was so very encouraged by this revelation! I couldn’t wait to share it with my husband…”we’re BUTLERS, we SERVE!”

To my surprise, he was actually underwhelmed by this “epiphany.’ He said he’d made that connection many years ago, and he’d assumed I had made that connection many years ago as well.

I suppose his having had this name for 27 more years than me may’ve given him a homecourt advantage. (and, I will say, my husband wears this name so very well—he has ALWAYS served others generously, and often in quiet, unassuming ways, and without ANY hesitation) He didn’t need this to be pointed out..He’s a BUTLER, he serves!

Of course, friend, regardless of what our last name is, or what your last name is, as Christians, we are all called to serve others in the name and love of Jesus Christ. It’s in our Christian family name.

And so, remembering this, I will continue to pray that our family will strive to do that without hesitation, without excuses, and without grumbling or complaining–that we will serve with the love and joy that comes from serving in the strength and love that Christ provides. And, friend, I will pray that for you and your family as well. 

P.S. In writing this, I realize we have three girls, who will all, likely, be married at some point, and no longer be “Butlers” by surname. And so I pray that their “Butler” legacy will be carried on into their families, whatever their name, with even more gladness that their service will be tied to their identity in the family of God rather than in their legal last name.