9 Character Traits of the Lord’s Servant

Hundreds of years before He was born, Isaiah prophesied about Jesus the Messiah. In Isaiah chapter 42, we read about nine of His character traits. It is truly amazing that Jesus was the fulfillment of all of these, and more. What is even more amazing is that God calls all of us as Christ-followers to emulate Christ, and He helps to develop these character traits in our lives as well.

1 “This is My Servant; I strengthen Him,
this is My Chosen One; I delight in Him.
I have put My Spirit on Him;
He will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry out or shout
or make His voice heard in the streets.
3 He will not break a bruised reed,
and He will not put out a smoldering wick;
He will faithfully bring justice.
4 He will not grow weak or be discouraged
until He has established justice on earth.
The islands will wait for His instruction.” (Isaiah 42:1-4)

Here are the nine character traits, with a question or two for you to consider concerning your personal walk with Christ in regards to each character trait.

1. He is God’s servant. (v1)
   • Do you realize what an honor it is to be a servant of the God of the universe, and not just the servant of any earthly kingdom or king?
   • When is the last time you actively pursued an endeavor that was something you knew that God wanted you to do?
2. His strength comes from the Lord. (v1)
   • Is there an awareness in your life that moment by moment the Lord is strengthening you?
   • How do you draw strength from the Lord?
3. He is chosen by God. (v1)
   • Have you taken time today to thank God for choosing you to be one of His children?
4. God delights in Him. (v1)
   • Think about how children are a delight to their parents. What are the things in your walk with Christ that God delights in?
5. God’s Spirit is on Him. (v1)
   • How is the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life evident to you and evident to others?
   • Which aspects of the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) are the strongest in your life, and which aspect is God developing in you most evidently right now?
6. He is concerned for all nations. (v1)
   • Do you pray for people from all nations to come to faith in Christ?
   • Are you praying for God to bring new friends into your life from all nations?
7. He will not be boastful or arrogant. (v2)
   • Is your life characterized by humility or by boasting and arrogance? Which of these best honors the Lord?
8. He will show value to all people by His gentleness and compassion. (v3)
   • In what ways are you showing compassion and gentleness to all people, thereby showing the value that you place on every person’s life?
9. He will work tirelessly to establish justice on earth. (vv3-4)
   • Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” How are you praying and working to establish justice for all people: in your home, in your community, in your nation, and around the world?