One of our kids’ chores is to fold their own laundry. My husband (who usually does the laundry) takes their clothes to their room and tells them to sort and fold. One particular day, he delivered the girls’ clothes to their room and told them to get started. All three girls set to work.
As he was leaving the room, he heard Lindsey say thoughtfully to Ellie, “Boy, it’s like we’re servants or something.”
Exactly. They are indeed servants. That’s what we’re trying to train them to be, because God’s instructions for the home are that we all serve each other. We are a team, and we should each do our part to make the household work. Even Jesus Himself came not to be served but to serve.
So being a servant is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s often a really good thing. The only problem is…it’s not always fun.
As moms, we’re well aware that one of the primary focuses of our life is to serve our family. Sometimes, serving is easy—like the other day when my kids tasted the meal I set in front of them and said, “Wow! I give this stuff an A+!” Other times, it’s difficult—like last night when one of my children woke me from a deep sleep to say, “Mommy, I had an accident in my bed.”
My attitude toward serving my family tends to vary according to the circumstances. Yours probably does, too. Sure, we’d always acknowledge that being a servant is important, and maybe even that it’s a good idea, or even a high calling. But what do we do when service doesn’t feel like much except drudgery or being unappreciated?
During those times, we can—and should!—remind ourselves that ultimately, we are not serving our family, but the Lord. He is the One who takes our service personally (see Matthew 25:40). But an interesting point arises in that, in the original Greek, the word usually translated “servant” is more properly rendered “slave”. We are Christ’s slaves.
What does it mean to be a slave of Christ? It means that we serve completely at the Master’s pleasure. It means we’re obligated to continue in service and can’t just walk away at any time we might choose. It means our purpose in life is to carry out His wishes and His will, and to advance His interests upon this earth. It means we don’t get to grumble and complain when the service is not to our liking.
Those are the obligations. But being Christ’s slave also comes with incredible benefits. First, it means we belong totally to Him. We belong! We never have to feel unwanted or unloved, because Christ paid an incredible price to buy us. Second, we are set apart to Him and free from the dictates of any other master. Even the one who wants to master us and ruin our lives (Satan) can’t do it, because we’re not his anymore. We’re now owned by God, and not subject to anyone else’s control. Third, we have a purpose in life. Yes, our purpose is to carry out the wishes of another, but don’t miss the incredible point that in carrying out His wishes, we are also doing what’s best for ourselves. Our purpose now is not to serve the one who wants to destroy us, but to spend our lives glorifying our new Master and thus filling our lives with incredible joy.
So yes, there are obligations. Yes, there are times when the Master will call upon us for service and we won’t want to do what He requires. But maybe it would encourage our spirit be more willing if we remembered that anything He asks us to do will also benefit us. What a gracious and benevolent Master we serve! He bought us from a life that would surely have destroyed us in order to give us a life that will never end. Eternal life. Eternal joy.
Sounds like a pretty good return for a mere few years of service, doesn’t it?
John 10:10—“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
1 Corinthians 7:22—For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.