The Missing Cupbearers

This reflection was born after reading Nehemiah 1:1–10, where a palace servant’s heart broke for a distant homeland. As I sat with those verses, a question formed in my spirit:What kind of person carries the daily risk of dying by poison, yet remains deeply concerned about a broken people living out of sight?

Another question returned again and again:What compels some to forsake comfort — risking not just fortune, but even life itself — for the sake of others?

Jesus embodied this love unto death. Yet even in our time, when people emulate such sacrificial devotion, it remains astonishing. The closest understanding I have is rooted in this timeless principle:“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Nehemiah: A Model of Sacrificial Leadership

Nehemiah is a shining example. He could have remained in the Persian palace, serving as the king’s cupbearer — a prestigious role, yet one of daily risk.

As cupbearer, he tasted the king’s wine to ensure it was safe. Each day, he lived prepared to die for the king’s safety.

But when news reached him of Jerusalem’s broken walls, Nehemiah could not remain indifferent. His heart was shaped for more than survival — it was prepared for service.

The rebuilding of the wall was no coincidence. It was the fruit of a life trained in sacrificial obedience. Nehemiah would never serve the king something he himself would not drink. That principle — to serve others only what you would accept for yourself — is the foundation of purposeful living.

The Need for Cupbearers Today

Today, the world longs for missing cupbearers. Not only in local spaces, but across borders.

Nehemiah, though far from home, was deeply invested in his homeland. He risked his life for people he had not seen in years. His daily sips of potential death became the wellspring of life for others.

This is leadership with vision that transcends geography.

Praying for Cupbearers

Cupbearers are needed — and must be prayed into existence. Let intercessors cry out:“Lord, send us the cupbearers.”

But beware of the cupburials — those who, instead of sipping to safeguard others, become intoxicated and hoard the wine meant for the palace. They consume what was meant to be shared. They turn privilege into self-indulgence.

True cupbearers, however, understand that palace affluence is neither for show nor self-exaltation. To them, simply being in the presence of the King is enough. Humility guards their service; their position is not a platform for vanity but a vessel for generosity.

Cupbearers do not lose sight of the workers beside them, nor of the homeland beyond them. Their loyalty embraces both palace and people.

The Call to Action

This is the leadership we need today. Not palace servants who drink the wine of opportunity while pouring out cruelty and dehumanization…

… but those who serve others what they would give their own children: love, justice, access, and grace.

A better world begins with this kind of leadership — the leadership of the true Cupbearer, Christ Himself — whose cup is filled with love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

It begins with you.

Are you willing to be a cupbearer — a vessel of life, sacrifice, and service in a world that desperately needs it?