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February 23, 2008
THE DETERMINATION TO SERVE
The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister.
Matthew 20:28
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=mt+20:28&sr=1
Paul's idea of service is the same as Our Lord's: "I am among you as
He that serveth;" "ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." We have
the idea that a man called to the ministry is called to be a
different kind of being from other men. According to Jesus Christ, he
is called to be the "door-mat" of other men; their spiritual leader,
but never their superior. "I know how to be abased," says Paul. This
is Paul's idea of service - "I will spend myself to the last ebb for
you; you may give me praise or give me blame, it will make no
difference." So long as there is a human being who does not know
Jesus Christ, I am his debtor to serve him until he does. The
mainspring of Paul's service is not love for men, but love for Jesus
Christ. If we are devoted to the cause of humanity, we shall soon be
crushed and broken-hearted, for we shall often meet with more
ingratitude from men than we would from a dog; but if our motive is
love to God, no ingratitude can hinder us from serving our fellow
men.
Paul's realization of how Jesus Christ had dealt with him is the
secret of his determination to serve others. "I was before a
perjurer, a blasphemer, an injurious person" - no matter how men may
treat me, they will never treat me with the spite and hatred with
which I treated Jesus Christ. When we realize that Jesus Christ has
served us to the end of our meanness, our selfishness, and sin,
nothing that we meet with from others can exhaust our determination
to serve men for His sake.
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MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST - by Oswald Chambers /\/\
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