Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, “Come at once and recline at table”? Will he not rather say to him, “Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink”? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 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.” [Luke 17:7-10 (ESV)]
When she lived in Florida, my mother-in-law hired a woman to do the cleaning. In spite of representing herself as a “cleaning service,” this woman had a long list of “won’ts”—won’t do windows, mirrors, get on step ladders, move furniture, or bend over to wipe the baseboards, etc. Nevertheless, she always had a long list of complaints and financial needs that she was more than willing to share.
I wonder if that’s how we are in our relationship with God. Instead of being a willing servant who snaps to attention when his master calls and does what is asked, we have a list of “won’ts”—won’t obey, give, forgive, love, go where Gods sends us, or inconvenience ourselves. Nevertheless, in spite of our unwillingness to do for Him, we always have a long list of things we want from Him or complaints about the blessings we’ve already received.
Thinking we have a master probably makes us uncomfortable; we don’t want to think we’re subservient to anything or anyone. Instead of a master/servant relationship with our Lord, we’d prefer having a giver/receiver relationship with Him. Rather than serving Him, we’d prefer Him serving us and, as our generous benefactor, He continually would bestow gifts and blessings on us. When we think of God as our father, we’d prefer an indulgent father who’s long on generosity and short on discipline rather than one who expects obedience from His children. We’re happy to think of God as a protector shielding us from harm, a heavenly bail bondsman bailing us out of problems, or a pleasant and undemanding friend, but not so thrilled about having a master. While we’d prefer God being a trusted advisor whose advice we would follow if we liked it, He’s more of a dictator (albeit a benevolent one) whose word is law and whose plan is to be followed (like it or not)!
Make no mistake about it—God is more than a provider, parent, defender, rescuer, comrade, or counselor. God is our master and we are His servants. Rather than serving God with a list of “won’ts,” let us approach our master with the willing, eager, and obedient heart of a servant. Unlike that house cleaner, rather than serving for a reward of some kind (and complaining all the while), good servants whole-heartedly and joyfully serve God because they know, love, and trust Him. The central theme of Scripture is servanthood; may we always serve as did Jesus—the greatest servant of all.
When picturing the Last Supper, we probably visualize it much like Leonardo da Vinci’s famous mural with the men seated on chairs at one long table. While visually appealing, the picture is inaccurate. Instead of sitting on chairs with their feet concealed under the dinner table, Jews and Romans in Jesus’ day lounged on low sofas or cushions surrounding a low three-sided table called a triclinium. The cushions or couches were placed on the outside of the three sides which left the inside open for serving and entertainment. Diners would recline on their left sides, lean into the bosom of the person on their left, support their heads with their left arms, eat and drink with their right hands, and stretch their legs out to the right.
While we’re busy decorating our homes, planning holiday menus, finding the perfect gift for everyone on our list, and stressed about supply chain issues and shipping delays affecting the receipt of those gifts, let’s not forget that we’re in the season of Advent. This is a time for us to prepare for the second coming of Christ and to ponder the gifts of hope, love, peace, and joy we received with His first coming.
It’s less than a month until Christmas and I’m awaiting the family’s Christmas wish lists. Six years ago, when my son was helping his daughter compose her Christmas list, he told Mali she could ask for anything. A bit overwhelmed by such free rein, she questioned, “Anything?” While warning Mali that she may not get everything, he reassured her that she could ask for anything. To his surprise, the sweetheart asked for a sleeping bag for her little brother and explained that if he had one like hers, they both would be snug and cozy while watching their half hour of TV at night. Just four at the time, she had the right idea—giving truly is better than receiving.
Jesus often took the Pharisees to task, not for their theology, but for their behavior. With the Talmud’s description of seven different kinds of Pharisees, six of whom were contemptible, we know that the Jews were not unaware of their failings. Since Jesus was well-versed in Jewish law and tradition, I wonder if He was thinking about the Talmud’s list when He pronounced seven woes upon the scribes and Pharisees.
Devotions of the Heart 