There's a problem with how we look at our faith journey - we expect respect. In some ways respect is the golden calf that we bend our knee to. When it's not granted we either respond by sulking in or lashing out.
Lance Ford wrote, "Once we agree to be God's slave, he gives us the assignment of serving other humans. And humans do not treat servants and slaves well." [Lance Ford, Unleader, (Kansas City, Beacon Hill, 2012), 96.]
There's a problem. God wants us to be his slave and serve others, while we want to be respected and successful.
I wonder if our nation's history makes it harder to follow Christ. We have the embarrassing blemish of human slavery in our photo album and we've spent years trying to undo its impact. Slavery is undesirable. In fact since 1863 it's illegal. Our denomination was in full support of that. We are about human freedom.
But then there's the God thing. While we proclaim, "no one owns me!" God looks for a slave. While we demand our right to be treated well God asks us to serve.
I am a "Free Methodist" that is in bondage to the call of Christ. I have the right to… serve. One man should never own another man, unless that Man built the universe.
Never turn down serving God to be a success to humans. It's a rotten trade.
Thinking,
Pastor Dave
No comments:
Post a Comment