As followers of Christ, you and I are called to be servants—of God and of mankind. And when we think about the fact that it was not a man but it was the Living God who called us into His service and who has made us responsible over His work, we realize what a privilege it is that we have been given. More than that, we realize the magnitude of the responsibility. This ought to make us the most faithful and committed people in the world.
How can we not wake up early, focused and intent on serving, when we are in the service of the Lord Himself? Especially when what we do impacts the lives of people who are in great need?
Yet it is so easy to not even think about these things and to live our lives just like everyone else.
How Should We Live?
Maybe it would be good to ask ourselves: How do we go about the ministry opportunities the Lord has given us? Do we arrive late, or cut corners, or treat the work with less seriousness than we would treat other work?
I cannot emphasize enough the seriousness of integrity in our work and the way we conduct things when no one is watching or questioning us. God sees when we remain faithful in these things, and it pleases Him.
I am not saying you should start working every day at five in the morning and not stop until ten at night. The issue is that your life itself is an offering given continually to the Lord, as He demands it. Serving God is not employment. It is not an eight-to-five job. It is a privilege.
Therefore, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve” (Colossians 3:23–24).
The Faithfulness of David
Why did God choose David to be the king of Israel? One reason is that when nobody was watching him—not his father, not his mother, not his brothers—he was faithful with his work.
When he was out there in the wilderness watching over his father’s sheep and a wild animal approached, he did not say, “What can I do? I’m just a small boy and my stronger brothers aren’t here to rescue the sheep. I’ll just climb a tree and watch, even if the animal destroys part of the flock.” No, David went after the wild animals, killed them and saved his father’s sheep.
He was faithful with his task. Even though there was no one looking over his shoulder to see what he did every minute of the day, he understood the importance of walking in integrity before His Lord.
We must live with the same understanding and let it direct the way we spend our day and do our work.
My brothers and sisters, we are not our own:
- We have been bought with a price.
- We have been called to be the servants of God.
Dr. KP Yohannan, founder and director of Gospel for Asia, has written more than 200 books, including Revolution in World Missions, an international bestseller with more than 4 million copies in print. He and his wife, Gisela, have two grown children, Daniel and Sarah, who both serve the Lord with their families.
Gospel for Asia has been serving the “least of these” in Asia since its beginning in 1979, often in places where no one else is serving. GFA supports national workers who are serving as the hands and feet of Christ by ministering to people’s needs so they can understand the love of God for them for the first time. GFA is engaged in dozens of projects, such as caring for poor children, slum dwellers and widows and orphans; providing clean water by funding wells; supporting medical missions; and meeting the needs of those in leprosy colonies. Through GFA’s Bridge of Hope Program, tens of thousands of children are being rescued from the generational curses of poverty and hopelessness.
Read more posts on Patheos by Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan, or on his blog at kpyohannan.org.
Learn more about Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan: Facebook | OnePlace | Radio | Twitter | Sermon Index | Amazon | Goodreads | About | Integrity | Book
Read Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan’s post, Obedience Is Not Legalism.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In