10/04/15
Luke 17.10 So you
also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy
servants; we have only done what was our duty. – Jesus
I can see how it happens: somebody says something that
gets passed along to someone else and slightly changed; and then someone else
hears it and it gets changed again, and before you know it, what is now said is
nothing like what was said originally. Like that game we play where we line up
and a word or phrase is given to the first person and whispered into the ear of
the next and the next, and at the end of the line it is completely different.
Jesus said, “We are unworthy servants; we
have only done what was our duty.”
Somehow that got changed to: “I’m just a sinner saved by grace.” In God’s Kingdom we are neither
unworthy nor sinners. If we are, then what is the point? Yes, we were sinners; but we now are children. And I’m not sure in
the greater scheme of things that we were ever
unworthy – God didn’t do all He’s
done for the unworthy, but for the worthy – that’s how much He thinks of us.
(See Psalm 8.4 and Hebrews 2.6)
When Jesus said that we are to claim that we are unworthy servants, He was directing us
to do what we are supposed to do as
children of the Most High, but not claiming the glory, the praise, the
accolades, the prestige – we are certainly unworthy
in the sense of serving Him who is
worthy. Humility goes a long way with God. Doing what is expected is
commendable but it is only doing what is expected. Going beyond expectations is
what is expected in the Kingdom. But doing the expected or going beyond the
expected is only done in order to point to Him to whom all glory belongs.
Jesus’ audience was Jewish. There were certainly outsiders
who heard Him who marveled at what He said, but Jesus spoke primarily to Jews.
The Jews back then had come to believe that their favored status was something
of a merit-badge; they deserved what
they had, and who they were. That was
the problem – none of us deserve anything, but God’s grace is extended to us
all: what is man that you are mindful of
him, and the son of man that you care for him? All I know is it has
something to do with God.
I serve the King because He is King. I enjoy the King
because He is King. I do what I do for the King not to garner points with Him, but
because He has given me all the points I’ll ever need in His singular sacrifice
for me. He did for me what I could never do for myself and for that I am
eternally grateful. Unworthy? Nope. Deserving? Nope. Grateful? Yep.
Father God, help me
to maintain the right attitude toward who I am in this world and who I am in
Your Kingdom. In this world I want to do what is expected and go beyond that
for the sake of others; but I will do what I do for Your glory and not my own.
I am not worthy of glory as a servant but I receive grace as a child – thank You
for that! Amen.
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