SLAVE TO LOVE

I apologize to everyone for taking so long to post the blog.  Needless to say, there won’t be any need for a mid-week tune-up.  My Aunt Ruth passed late Friday afternoon, and there was a lot to do over the weekend.  Thankfully, this was a three day holiday and it allowed me the time to prepare for her memorial service. 

It’s amazing how even in times of sorrow and the ‘busy ness’ of making funeral arrangements, God will manifest himself, and affirm that we are moving in the right direction in our men’s group.  Kelly McCrory, my cousin by marriage, was trying to describe the depth of my Uncle David and Aunt Ruth’s love for one another.  He fumbled around for a few seconds and said: “They were one at a spiritual level.”  I smiled and thought how much I want people to say that about Glenda and I, when we pass this vale. 

 

Otay..... 

WHERE WERE WE?   The weekend became a blur to me.  OH, Yeah!   I remember, we were talking about being slaves to Christ, you know, that difficult subject, the one that Christ spoke of more than being sons of God, heirs, Kings kids, children of God, and yes even a royal priesthood.  Speaking of being a royal priesthood, have you ever thought about that title?  I don’t think he meant that we were royalty, and priests, I think he was saying that we are priests who serve or minister to God.  Our specialness is only derived by our being servants of the creator of the universe.  It was the Lord’s intention that the entire nation of Israel be servants (priests), instead he took one tribe and made them the servants instead.  They became servants to all of Israel.

I’m always amazed when I hear a Christian man brag about being the priest of his family as if it were a position of authority.  There is no authority within God’s priesthood, other than to serve others in serving God.  When a man tells me he is the priest of the family in defense of his overbearing behavior, I always snap back: “Then act like one.” 

The gist of Sunday’s mens group can be summed up in saying: “In order to be a bond-servant to our wives, we must learn how to serve God and one another.  This goes to Ephesians 5:21, where Paul commands us to submit to one another in the fear of the Lord.  This goes against our natural inclinations and is a good indicator of the life changing power of the Holy Spirit at work within us.  Willingness to submit to others isn’t natural.  It goes against everything we are.  Our base instinct is to elevate ourselves and seek to rise above those around us.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re a man or woman, black, white, rich, poor, or any other way you seek to describe yourself, we all seek to elevate ourselves.  That is why I know the bible didn’t come from man’s way of thinking.  Only the Holy Spirit would tell men to be a servant to others without thought of reward or exaltation.    When we are ‘mature,’ the idea of submission is desirable.  We realize the power it has to alter hearts and minds, especially our own.  If I can submit and serve my brother or sister in Christ, it is only a natural progression to our spouses. 

We looked at the fact that Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, and in so doing they began the process of their own enslavement.  We also looked at how Joseph’s slavery didn’t prevent God from elevating him to places of honor everywhere he went.  It is the humility of our hearts, and our submission to one another, that allows God to honor us.  In being the least, we become the greatest. 

WHAT? 

Let me explain in Hebrew terms.   When you hear the term “the Least” used in the bible, it means the youngest.  The youngest is always the last one to receive anything in an inheritance.  Yet, if we willingly submit as the youngest, if we deliberately take the lowest place at the table, we demonstrate our maturity.  Those who seek to elevate themselves or dominate others, reveal their immaturity and weaknesses.   However, when we work our hardest, do our best, sacrifice for others, and esteem others more highly than ourselves, God is faithful to lift us up into places of greater responsibility.  With greater responsibility comes greater accountability.  When the Lord honors us, we never have to fear someone taking our honor from us.  We have lived in, and demonstrated our maturity.  Love has made itself complete in us.  We aren’t slaves to someone, we are slaves to love.  When we are Christ’s slaves, we will be slaves to the one he has given us, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and ultimately to those outside of the community of Christ.  It is only then, that we become truly great. 

That is why we have to be the servant leader of our homes.  If we want the blessings of God to flow and our homes to be blessed by him, we have to be submissive to our wives.  We have to be bond-servants to the princess of God.  It is only in that position that we are truly ‘great.’  It is only then we are able to secure the provision and favor of God.  He elevates us in the eyes of our spouse, our children, our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and ultimately those in authority around us.  As we serve at the base levels, God deems us worthy of more honor and moves us into greater areas of responsibility.  

There were so many good comments made this last Sunday.  Our Brother Charles has put them on his blog and I encourage every one of you to go there before this week is over. I'm not going to duplicate them here, go check them out on his blog.   

Finally, I want to encourage all of you to continue to grow in the area of servanthood.  Are there ways we can make it more of a fact in our lives?  I don’t ask that from a position of authority or having accomplished it,  but from someone trying to work it out.  This idea was so foreign to me just a few years ago.  Now, it consumes me.