Alexander the Great, also known as Alexander of Macedonia, was born in 356 BC. As a teenager, one of his teachers was Aristotle. By the age of 20 he succeeded his father to the throne and became ruler. By the age of 30 he had militarily conquered the known world. His empire stretched from western Asia to Egypt, including Greece to northwestern India. During these years he was responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. Those that were not killed were made slaves. To accomplish all of this, Alexander picked up a sword. It was his tool of choice. History remembers him as a Great military leader who died at the age of 32.
Thomas Jefferson was born in 1743 in Virginia. As a young student he learned Latin and Greek. He attended the college of William and Mary in 1760. He was the first Secretary of State for the United States. He was the second vice-president of the United States and he was the third president of the United States. He is considered as one of the original founding fathers of our country. Above all his accomplishments, history remembers him for being the writer of the Declaration of Independence. To accomplish this, he picked up a pen. It was his tool of choice. He died on July 4, 1826.
Jesus Christ was born on Christmas day, approximately 2023 years ago. He was born in the small town of Bethlehem in present day Israel. His mother’s name was Mary. She was married to Joseph, a carpenter. At age twelve, he became separated from his parents. Searching for him, they found him in the temple in Jerusalem talking with the learned teachers. At age 30, the devil met with Jesus and tried to persuade him to worship him, but Jesus said “No, ain’t gonna happen.” Later, at a wedding he turned water into wine. Shortly after that he healed a Centurion’s servant simply by speaking. When in a boat on the Sea of Galilee with a storm raging, he spoke to the wind and waves to be still, and they did. He healed a woman with a hemorrhage and a blind man by placing spit and mud on his eyes. He fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. He raised his friend Lazarus from the dead. These and many other miracles he performed in just three short years.
One night, as Jesus and his followers (disciples) were celebrating the feast of the Passover in an upper room, he did a very dirty job. A job so degrading it was always left for the lowest servant of the household. Folks in those days did not have shoes as we consider shoes today. People wore open toe sandals or went barefoot. Most streets and roads were made of dirt. A person’s feet would become covered in dust as they traveled. The custom was for a servant to wash the feet of house guest. To accomplish this demeaning job, Jesus picked up a towel. His tool of choice. He washed and dried his disciple’s feet. He was nailed to a cross the next day and died a physical death. But, unlike Alexander the Great who conquered the known world with a sword, and unlike Thomas Jefferson who wrote one of the world’s greatest documents with a pen, history remembers Jesus because he rose from the grave and conquered sin and death. Not only that, but He is alive today!
So, folks what tool do you choose? The sword of a warrior, the pen of a writer, or the towel of a servant?
Walter Allen has a BA degree from Auburn University and is retired from the paper industry. He is a published author and lives in Laurens County.
