I am a fan of the writer P.G. Woodhouse and the character in his books known as Jeeves. For anyone who has not met Jeeves there is a paradox that always travels with him, in fact permeates everything he does. You see Jeeves is the quintessential English butler. He is smarter, wiser, more street smart than the blue blood society member that he works for but that never seems to change the relationship between the two characters. One serves, the other plays, while both care deeply about each in their own way. In the end I remembered far less about the person Jeeves works for than Jeeves himself.
“If you let people treat you like a doormat, you’ll be quite forgotten in the end.” (Proverbs 29.21)
I am a passionate fan of the character known as Jesus. Some react to Jesus and his words in the same way they do to Jeeves. Both are in the business of serving people. Both characters know their strengths; they understand what makes who they are valuable to those around them and the foundation for their self esteem. The comparison ends shortly but there is one more thing that they share in common. Neither of them were doormats.
Jeeves as a more recent character is often seen as someone who is dumped on. Even though he is wiser, more mature, and more compassionate, he has little that the world recognizes as success; but in my eyes Jeeves always had what money could not buy. Jeeves had dignity, honest pride, holistic balance and that harmony brought peace, a calm sense of happiness, and confidence.
Jesus offers us the same gifts that fictional Jeeves received. Some readers see this offer as a hidden request to become doormats but nothing could be farther from the truth! Compassion received calls us to social action. Mercy accepted changes the way we see others. Knowing who we are positions us to reach out to others in need. Some may view this is being a doormat; I see this is a way of standing tall and living.
