How Long Are Your Fingernails?
One of the signs of an aristocrat in China is the length of his or her fingernails. There is a certain pride not only in having the long nails but also because long nails are examples to others that one is above others in the social arena of life.
A better topic for this short article may well be that "Christians shouldn't have long fingernails." However, some would accuse the writer of placing the wearing of long nails in the same category of wearing lipstick or jewelry which some say that Christians also shouldn't wear.
Figuratively speaking, long nails should never be worn by Christians because Christians are above everything else to be "servants." While the Chinese wore his or her fingernails exemplifying to their society that they were not servants, Christians are to serve because Christ came Himself "not to be ministered unto but to minister" to all men and women. To personify that servant hood in clear concise language of action, He took the "towel and basin* and washed the feet of his disciples.
In a time when the world continues to walk in darkness, when crime increases, the threat of war looms always ahead, addiction to dope in its many forms is on the increase, and many, many are hungry in our world nothing is more needed than the Church. All denominations and branches of the Body of Christ should become the servant which Christ not only set the example for but also called it to be.
Servant hood implies being willing to get involved in humanity where humanity is hurting. Isn't that what Jesus did? Servant hood today means looking at your life, your talents, time that God gives you to labor here, your financial blessings in the light of the world, those in your community who hurt not only from physical needs but also from spiritual needs, and be willing to figuratively trim those nails and serve those for whom Christ also died. Dare we do less! October, 1982