Back in the Servant's Quarters.

I spent the greater part of my college career performing in musical theater. The stage was no stranger. I enjoyed it. As I've aged, the stage has started to scare me. Now I'm terrified of performing. Since I try to be painfully honest in this blog, I'll tell you that I don't miss the applause, the kudos, the congratulations. Who wouldn't?!? (Or maybe it's just me that thanks The Academy and the Hollywood Foreign Press a.k.a my bedroom mirror.)

While studying the book of Luke with my Tuesday bible study buddies, I've been struck that Christ so often reminds us of our place in His kingdom. Our Christ, our Savior, gave all so that we could be saved and enjoy the treasures of heaven, but until that time our place is at the feet of our Savior and at the feet of others as mere servants. Earthly accolades are not our goal. Comfortable accommodations are not our right. Rather, our comforts are huge blessings to be hospitably shared. Talents are not meant for our gain. Talents are meant to further the kingdom. Attention is for the Christ and the Creator alone.

We joked in our study this morning that rarely does a minister preach a sermon on a little passage in Luke 16. I wonder why. Perhaps we don't like being reminded of our station. Check out this little tidbit from Christ:

"Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did as he was told to do?" 

Here's the closing clincher. Check this out:

"So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We were unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'"

There you go, preachers. Preach THAT sermon. Here's how it would go: "Church, DO YOUR JOB." Cue the alter call.

The question I ask myself here is: Do I expect kudos for simply doing my duty as a Christian?

Do we expect gratitude, attention, or accolades for sharing the gospel, for serving others, for teaching children's worship, for leading singing, for spiritual parenting, for living? Have we all absorbed this westernized entitlement attitude? Do we expect to have articles written up about our work or buildings named after us? Do we deserve our earthly blessings? I promise you, we definitely can never ever deserve our inheritance. Have we forgotten our mutual place in the servants quarters?

You see, while we are offered huge benefits from working in the kingdom, the truth is, earthly treasures and rampant unbridled applause from the earth are not our reward, and we shouldn't seek it. We are not entitled to earthly comforts and should not be out seeking attention for simply doing our job. We are to DO it. We are servants who serve because we owe the master BIG time, and we'll never be able to work off this debt.

When my serving days are done at the end of my earthly shift and I clock out to gain my reward, I hope to hear something from another parable, but probably from the same master...

‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:21

The Narrow Door

"Unusual!" we call folks who make it in.
"Abnormal! Unrelenting! They never fit in!

The average of us just go with the pack.
The expected behavior is to stay on THIS track.

Odd for THAT person to be allowed in--
When the rest of us commit just a tiny sin.

To lie-- To cheat-- To steal--
Well, that's our common place meal!

Strange is the person who gives back.
Curious! He offers the rest of US slack.

Look at that odd ball! How he serves everyone else!
Why is he saying to avoid serving self?

That door is tiny! We'll never fit there!
By the looks of it, we must go through bare!

Stripped of our titles, our purses, our rules?
That door doesn't accept our treasured jewels!

We must look like the odd ball to fit through that gate.
We must hurry and change before it's too late.

Throw off all that is us and mirror the king.
Lay aside all our normal and change our routine.

Seek Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with care,
and enter to see the odd ball through there.

"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."  ~ Luke 13:24

Naked.

I realized the other day as my sons rebelliously chased through the living room dripping bath water all over my hardwood floors how thankful I am that they can enjoy this freedom, this innocence of being completely nude. The same night my youngest opened the front door stark naked after hearing the doorbell. Luckily, it was just one my my friends who simply laughed at the little exhibitionist. She has sons too.

Little boys know no shame. They will strip down to nothing in seconds. Then they most likely run squealing through the house out into the backyard without hesitation with a joyous free reckless abandon. A mother is hard-pressed to stop them, much less, coral them without at least a smirk.  

When my daughter was three we left her in the house napping (we thought) while my husband and I painted the shutters in the front yard. Within two minutes my dear sweet daughter stripped down to nothing and plastered her little body to the front picture window. There she was in her birthday suit with her little nose squished against the glass waving and grinning from ear to ear. No shame, only freedom.

It causes me great pain to consider that my children will experience shame in their life. They will make mistakes. They will experience embarrassment. They will be will mocked. Thanks to their psychological genetic pool, pangs of guilt may steal away their smiles. One day, they may hide. One day, they may hesitate before looking in the mirror. One day their joy and innocence may be stolen. 

One of the freedoms of Christ that I hope to build into my children is an understanding of grace. 

Grace to run free without shame. 

Grace to stare into the mirror and see a forgiven and loved face smiling back.

Grace to joyously run with reckless abandon to our merciful Father.

Grace to be naked with imperfections washed away abandoning the ugly past behind them.

Grace to be freed from the bonds of sin and shame.

I know my children will grow out of silly streaking, I hope. For now, I treasure their sweet innocence.

Thank you, Father, for freeing us from our bonds of slavery. Thank you for washing us clean and finding us perfect and beautiful. Thank you for your grace.

For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Hebrews 10:14