Artist: Heidi Brummer

5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;
6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.
Ephesians 6:5-8

Keep in mind, we are born-again to serve. We are not the proprietors of our selves, but in allegiance, obedience, and service to our One God. We gave up the focus of self interest when we surrender to Jesus Christ. Without adhering to connotations of slavery, especially in the United States, the term is servitude for and toward another. This is a voluntary willingness to serve others. It is the state of abandonment of our own self-interest in favor of another’s. Under all conditions and it is not easy! This is our Christian dilemma as we are wired for survival and self-preservation. To truly seek the character of the godly man, we must walk in the steps of Jesus Christ who came and served all.

This is but another contrast to explore. Man is the spiritual lead and head of a household. He is leader without forceful domination, but in gentle service to those in his domain. The family, his friends, all others, everyone. We as men must follow the example of Jesus Christ and wash the feet of our families. This projects a leadership that is in the realm of a wise God. He made this not as a paradox, but as the perfect example of leading. We lead in sincerity of our Savior. For Him and as He did. We lead not for the pleasure of display, but with the fortitude and sincerity that it is in our hearts and it is for the glory of God. This brings respect and a willingness for others to believe our godly character.

We place and advance our service to a level than supersedes common wisdom. We are not less of a leader; less of a person. We serve as if all we serve is for the Lord, Himself. In this case, would we not do all for Him without question? Without complaint? We laid our lives for Jesus as Jesus laid His life for us. We gave up self-interest. Our interest is in seeking and serving a loving God. We must adhere to this service at all levels and places in our lives. For how can we serve a mighty King and withhold serving our wife, our family, those in our path? God gives us many chances. We stiffen our necks as we think situations to be unreasonable. They are reasonable. We are in the perfecting process, we will fail, but we must persevere.

Finally, we love because we are first loved. We serve because we were first served at the cross. Jesus died in service to us. For the death of our sins, for the freedom from our ‘self’, for the beginning of our walk. Beware, the ‘self’ will hold us captive. It is an object with insatiable desire, hunger, vile nature. We withdraw from and abandon this object. We are not ourselves held captive to our ego any longer. Jesus first showed us, God continually teaches us.

It is a beautiful life when we see how God’s contrasts serve our understanding of Him better. A world of those serving; a world of those loving: all without condition, is a good world! It is a perfect and complete design. The master is the servant just as the Master washed the feet of the disciples. What wonderment is born. The heart softens of the recipient of this nature. Serve and love. It is our prerogative; more importantly, it shall be our desire. We will be of this nature willingly and with zeal. Lose yourself. Find your place in God’s domain. We made the step in the first place because He beckoned and we answered. Be a servant and please our Lord for doesn’t He serve us?

Rick Stassi
March 3, 2012