Serving Graciously

Luke 17:7-10

 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’?  

Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?  

Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?  

 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 

‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

 _________________________________________________________________________

 I came across this verse last week and it really hit home with me.  

I immediately highlighted it in my Bible and wrote the last part across my mirror.

In this parable, there is a man who has a servant.  When the servant is done with a portion of his duties, will his master tell him, "Good job, you worked hard.  Thank you.  You deserve a treat." 

No.  The master will instead give the servant more to do. 

Why?  Because that is the servant's job.  His duty.  His obligation.

I compare myself to the servant.

Most of the time, I want some sort of accolade after I've completed some task.

Examples:

I spend an hour cooking dinner and 30 minutes cleaning up the kitchen.

I want my husband and kids to say, "Thanks, that was great!"

I do have a cute helper, though!

I spend all day chasing the kids around, keeping the baby from eating stuff out of the garbage, 

and homeschooling my daughter.

I want my husband to say, "Wow, you worked hard today!"

 

I do the housework, cook 3+ meals per day, find time to exercise, and try not to nag my husband.

I want my husband to acknowledge this and say, "I don't know how you do it!"

WHY do I want all this praise and attention?

Pride.

Because I think so highly of myself that I think I deserve to be acknowledge.

Look who learned how to climb!

The reality is that I am just a servant doing my duty.

When I am finished with my day's work, I should ask God,

"What else can I do?  What can I do for you tomorrow?  How can I do better?"

When I am blinded by pride, I don't ask any of these questions.

I look at life from an extremely self-centered point of view.

I expect someone (usually my husband) to acknowledge my sacrifices.

Then if he doesn't say anything, I get offended and become bitter or resentful.

I have been thinking about this verse nearly every day since I read it last week, and every day I have failed to truly have a servant's heart.  But I will keep trying -- keep asking for grace, mercy, and a humble heart.

The Gaithers!
Because I'm an old lady at heart...