Submission and Service
I am convinced that if a person is submitted to God, then that person will live his or her life in service to others. I don’t mean the kind of service where we do what we want to do for people. I mean the kind of service that people need, the kind of service that produces dirty hands and skinned knees, the kind of service that isn’t always pretty, the kind of service that doesn’t make anyone a star or a celebrity. A person who is submitted to God will not only willingly serve others in this manner, but will find joy in that service. If a person’s life does not demonstrate that kind of service, then that person is probably not submitted to God, regardless of what else they spend their time doing.
Alan,
How do you view service to others as opposed to “Just being busy for Jesus” if you catch my meaning? In other words, what would be some examples of the type of service you are suggesting?
I assume you are referring to people who are physically capable of “that kind of service that produces dirty hands and skinned knees” or was that just a metaphor for things that “cost us something”? I think if it doesn’t require sacrifice it doesn’t mean much.
I have always thought that, whether intended or not, if it did make us a star or celebrity, we lose our true reward of pleasing God.
In your opinion, does that kind of service include that which you are paid to do? I have always thought that if you were paid to do it, you received a reward and not a sacrifice at all.
Jeff,
There are so many examples that I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I guess I could give a few examples, like the guy who is working on my car, or some friends who cleaned a lady’s apartment, or a young man who volunteered his time to help a family work on their house. The examples could go on and on. I think that teaching and discipleship in Scripture is usually (if not always) assumed to take place in the context of this type of service.
Joy,
Yes, all of us have certain limitations. I agree with you that doing something because you are paid is not the kind of service that Scripture is talking about.
-Alan