Taking the Nature of a Servant
Illustration
Taking the nature of a servant has never been a popular choice, especially as a career move. Few people know this better than The Shine King, James Cole of Chicago. "People don't want to shine shoes no more. You don't find that many kids who want to shine shoes. They don't believe in it. They look at it as something small," says Mr. Cole.
Professor Henry Binford of Northwestern University offers another explanation. "Shining somebody else's shoes is a kind of very personal act of service that reflects subordination going back a long way. It's not like selling something to someone over the counter. It is playing the role of the servant."
Despite the historical stigma, Mr. Cole's son, Jameson, plans to take over the family business. He enjoys the role of being a servant. "A lot of people look down on it, but it isn't what you do, it's how you do it."
Taking the nature of a servant is never popular and rarely profitable, but it is what Jesus asks of us (John W. Fountain, New York Times, June 3, 2001).
Professor Henry Binford of Northwestern University offers another explanation. "Shining somebody else's shoes is a kind of very personal act of service that reflects subordination going back a long way. It's not like selling something to someone over the counter. It is playing the role of the servant."
Despite the historical stigma, Mr. Cole's son, Jameson, plans to take over the family business. He enjoys the role of being a servant. "A lot of people look down on it, but it isn't what you do, it's how you do it."
Taking the nature of a servant is never popular and rarely profitable, but it is what Jesus asks of us (John W. Fountain, New York Times, June 3, 2001).
