Luke 17:7-10, "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field. 'Come at once and sit down to eat?' But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink?' Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"
Who among us does not like a pat on the back for a job well done? A word of praise? A little recognition? As I read the gospels and how Jesus interacted with His disciples, I find it interesting that He never recognizes them for their service to His kingdom. Oh sure, Jesus salutes Peter for correctly answering the question, "Who do they say that I am?" But Peter is never commended for presenting the gospel. John is never praised for serving the hungry. Matthew receives no accolades for following Christ. Why is this? Well, because it is what is expected of us as believers. To obey Christ is our duty. It's not an option if we are living our lives as we should.
In our society today keeping morale high is an important motivational technique. We make sure to recognize a job well done so as to keep our people happy and help them feel appreciated. Is there inherently anything wrong with this? I don't believe so, however, when it comes to our service for God, what is our motivation? Do we serve Him from an expression of love and a desire to fulfill our duty? Or do we serve to gain recognition and applause? Our motivation for our service will be what we are judged for when we stand before Christ. He will know the desires of our hearts, and He will separate our selfish motives from pure ones that glorify Him.
A recent study by George Barna indicates that over 80% of Americans claim to be Christians. So why is it so few seem to be serving Christ in a biblical manner? Why are they so seemingly unmotivated by the sacrifice and deliverance Jesus has provided for us? Are they simply false converts and unsaved? Are they self centered instead of Christ centered? Are they seeking glory instead of submitting to Jesus? Their are probably more reasons not to serve given among Christians than names given in the genealogies in 1 Chronicles chapters 1-9. But for Jesus, their is only one motive that is acceptable for Godly service, duty.
I believe we lack the proper perspective when it comes to our service. We fail to understand that we are engaged in warfare against a powerful enemy, and that we are soldiers in the service of God. In the military a soldier receives his orders and obeys them. They may place him in the line of fire. They may put him in danger. They usually bring no glory or recognition. The military man is driven and motivated by a sense of duty, not a desire for glory and accolades. Most times they receive no reward for their sacrifice. Is that our attitude when we consider our service to Christ?
God has commanded us to be holy, are we? He has commanded us to be His witnesses, are we? We have been instructed to pray without ceasing, does that attitude define us? He has issued the marching orders of obedience and self sacrifice, do we honor them with selfless obedience? When we do obey, do we do it from a sense of duty, or a desire for recognition? As with all things concerning God, our answer determines the position of our heart. Do we lack God providing fruit in our lives because we lack a sense of duty in our lives?
The commands of God are not optional for the person who claims the mantle Christian. It is our sacred duty to obey them. We may never receive recognition, or accolades, or glory for them here on earth, and neither should we desire such things. Why should we desire praise for doing what is expected? In heaven, we will not be singled out for what we have accomplished, but for how faithful we have been. The greatest words we will hear from Jesus will not be, "well done, look at what you accomplished, look how much you did for Me." No, they will be, "well done, good and faithful servant." That service will be measured by our faithfulness to God and our obedience in fulfilling our duty from a pure heart. And we will be blessed with the opportunity to serve God forever. Our service is not about us, but about Christ and His body. so let us ask the question, in our service, is the body of Christ being built up our motivation, or is it to build ourselves up? Where is our sense of duty, to ourselves, or to Jesus?
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