Make Me Nobody

Today I return from a time of sabbatical given to me by the Leaders and Elders at West Ridge Church. I am extraordinarily thankful to work at a church that values the wholeness of the Pastor. These times of rest are given to us proactively. No one walked into my office and said, ‘You look tired. Why don’t you leave for a few weeks?’ Instead, this is a built-in benefit.

Personally, I had let my life get a bit unbalanced and out of rhythm. I may talk more about that later. I took care of a couple of ‘work-related’ items while I was out. Even those few things helped me restore some healthy patterns.

When I really have a chance to sit and reflect there are some core values for my life that God reminds me of and restores. One is from an odd little parable at the beginning of Luke 17.

⁷“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’? ⁸Would 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’? ⁹Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? ¹⁰So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ “

That last verse has become a mantra for me. Whether I am being a husband, a dad, a friend, or working as part of a church staff (or any vocation)….at the end of the day I’m just a servant of Jesus. Whatever he puts in front of me to do, I’ll do. Where he tells me to go, I’ll go. Having my name in some small realm of recognition would be nothing compared to being a servant of Jesus.

When you put the whole of Jesus teachings together there is a lot more to being a Christ-follower. This Master treats His servants like the apple of his eye. He treats us like Princes and Kings. He loves us more deeply  than a handful of verses can describe. There are moments when I respond differently to his love, but let there be a time every day when I say, “Make me nobody. I’m an unworthy servant. I’m only doing my duty.”

Everyone Belongs,

Paul