Bible in 90, Day 74: Unworthy servants

Luke 10-20

image courtesy of Henkster at stock.xchng

They mean well.

I’ve had the opportunity to preach here and there over the years.  Each time, I’ve stood at the back door to greet people as they left.  Some have remarked that God really spoke to them through my message, but most have said something like, “Good sermon preacher!” or “Good job!”  I’m not faulting anyone who’s ever said this to a preacher.  But, for a long time this was hard for me to take.  My thought was, “I didn’t really do anything, it was God!”  I’m a perfectionist and highly self-critical, so at the end of most sermons I’ve preached I can only see where I went wrong and how I could have done better.  I used to point out these errors as people complimented me.  One day, a wise woman looked me in the eye and said, “Just be gracious and take the compliment!”  I love that woman.

My perfectionism aside, my concern was/is somewhat biblically based.  You see, I’m just a servant doing what I’ve been instructed.  I am nothing special.  Jesus reminded us of this today in Luke 17:1-10.  He tells a parable about a servant who is expected to serve his master at the table after having spent all day working in the field.  Now, the servant has done well, and has followed one task with another.  Does the master thank him?  No.  The master expects the servant to follow his commands, he does not thank him for his obedience.

In the same way, Jesus tells His disciples, we are not to expect applause, thanks, praise, or reward when we have simply done what was expected of us.  Our mindset should be that we are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.  Does this mean that it is wrong for us to express gratitude to a Sunday School teacher who faithfully leads his class, or a preacher for faithfully preaching the word, or to a deacon for faithfully serving his church, or a custodian to who faithfully maintains the grounds, or an usher who faithfully watches over those entering the building each week?  No.  It does mean that the teacher, preacher, deacon, custodian, and usher should not expect any praise or admiration.  They should not serve in order to get such applause from people.  They should serve faithfully because they are servants of a great Master.

Note that we are unworthy servants.  Truly, we are not even worthy to untie Jesus’ sandals (Mark 1:7), let alone serve Him in the great ways that He commands us to.  Our mindset should that of gratitude for being allowed the privilege of serving Christ.

Let’s give thanks to God for His goodness and His faithful love which endures forever!  We are not worthy, yet God has seen fit to call us into His service for the expansion of His Kingdom.  Let’s serve faithfully, not for applause or awards, but because Christ has called us to.

Originally at Words of Reason