Three Timely Lessons for God's
Servants
by Charles R. Swindoll
In
recent posts, I have written about God's servants feeling used and
unappreciated, experiencing undeserved disrespect and resentment, and having
hidden greed—a desire to be rewarded.
From
these very real and common perils, there emerge at least three timely lessons
for all of us to remember.
Lesson
one: no servant of God is completely safe. A tough truth to
accept! We who give and give become increasingly more vulnerable as time passes
(read John 15:20). Truth be told, there are times we'll get
ripped off. We will be used. We will feel unappreciated. But realizing ahead of
time this will happen, we are better equipped to handle it when it comes. The
proper perspective will guard us against stumbling into peril. Lean hard on the
Master when you serve others.
Lesson
two: most of the servant's deeds will be initially unrewarded.
That's a basic axiom we must accept (read Hebrews 6:10).
If you are the type who needs a lot of strokes from people, who has to be
appreciated before you can continue very long, you'd better forget about being
a servant. More often than not, you will be overlooked, passed up, placed
behind the scenes, and be virtually unknown. Your reward will not come from
without but from within. Not from people but from the satisfaction God gives
you down inside.
Much
of the ministry requires this mentality. A pastor may stand at the door of the
church following his sermon and shake hands with the flock as everybody says
nice things about him (my friend Howard Hendricks calls this "the
glorification of the worm," a description I certainly agree with), but in
reality, if that man preaches for those few moments of flattery—and most
don't—he's in the wrong business.
Lesson
three: all motives must be honestly searched. Before jumping,
think to ask why (read Acts 24:16). Before accepting any tangible gifts of
gratitude (and there are occasions when such is perfectly acceptable), probe
into your reason for doing so.
Check
your motive, fellow servant.
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