December 20th, 2021
Written by Alex Fortson
Unworthy. Do I serve from an unworthy servant's perspective? Being unworthy does not mean that the level of serving quality has decreased, but it does mean that you serve with a desperation to honor God.
I have been challenged weekly by Luke 17. “We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.” Take a moment and meditate on that. As I read this, there are so many things that begin to bombard my brain and challenge me. Do I serve God in a desperate manner? Or do I serve God as though I deserve to be in the position that I am in? If I am honest, I sometimes find myself serving from an “I deserve this” attitude instead of an “I am desperate to honor God” attitude. This is where the challenge begins.
From this scripture Jesus is teaching that, as servants of the one true King, we should not expect a pat on the back from God and those around us for simply doing what God has already asked us to do. Oftentimes as ministers and simply just followers of Jesus, we can get caught up in doing things for the entitlements from others and from God. This is a dangerous place to be because now your “WHY” is no longer tied to honoring God, but is instead tied to what others, or even God, will give you.
Fortunately, God pours out his blessings upon us when we honor and serve Him, but this is where it gets tough…What if He didn’t? Would you still serve Him the same? You see, we are unworthy servants; we are only doing what is our duty. This is much deeper than you think. Jesus is also explaining here that, when people try to honor and recognize you, there has to be a part of you that pushes pride to the side. James 4:6-7 says, “...God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.”
Humility is defined as a modest or low view of one's own importance. Unworthy. Especially when you find yourself standing before the almighty King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And somehow, if I am not careful, I can find myself having the audacity to complain that I am not being honored enough or I feel like God isn't rewarding or blessing me. We must be cautious of this. 1 Peter 5:8 comes to mind–“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The enemy will creep into your mind and heart if you are not careful. He will create someone who is cynical, hard, and angry. Do not give the enemy this foothold in your life. Serve, and serve unto the Lord in all you do.
As we approach this Christmas season, one of the things that is our duty is to help those who are in need. Find daily moments to help someone in need. Maybe it is buying them Christmas gifts because they can not afford to on their own or feeding a needy family. Maybe it is helping a person who is stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire on Christmas Eve. I do not know exactly what it may be, but I do know it is our duty to help them; not for the recognition, but simply because we are unworthy servants doing our duty.
Unworthy. Do I serve from an unworthy servant's perspective? Being unworthy does not mean that the level of serving quality has decreased, but it does mean that you serve with a desperation to honor God.
I have been challenged weekly by Luke 17. “We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.” Take a moment and meditate on that. As I read this, there are so many things that begin to bombard my brain and challenge me. Do I serve God in a desperate manner? Or do I serve God as though I deserve to be in the position that I am in? If I am honest, I sometimes find myself serving from an “I deserve this” attitude instead of an “I am desperate to honor God” attitude. This is where the challenge begins.
From this scripture Jesus is teaching that, as servants of the one true King, we should not expect a pat on the back from God and those around us for simply doing what God has already asked us to do. Oftentimes as ministers and simply just followers of Jesus, we can get caught up in doing things for the entitlements from others and from God. This is a dangerous place to be because now your “WHY” is no longer tied to honoring God, but is instead tied to what others, or even God, will give you.
Fortunately, God pours out his blessings upon us when we honor and serve Him, but this is where it gets tough…What if He didn’t? Would you still serve Him the same? You see, we are unworthy servants; we are only doing what is our duty. This is much deeper than you think. Jesus is also explaining here that, when people try to honor and recognize you, there has to be a part of you that pushes pride to the side. James 4:6-7 says, “...God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.”
Humility is defined as a modest or low view of one's own importance. Unworthy. Especially when you find yourself standing before the almighty King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And somehow, if I am not careful, I can find myself having the audacity to complain that I am not being honored enough or I feel like God isn't rewarding or blessing me. We must be cautious of this. 1 Peter 5:8 comes to mind–“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The enemy will creep into your mind and heart if you are not careful. He will create someone who is cynical, hard, and angry. Do not give the enemy this foothold in your life. Serve, and serve unto the Lord in all you do.
As we approach this Christmas season, one of the things that is our duty is to help those who are in need. Find daily moments to help someone in need. Maybe it is buying them Christmas gifts because they can not afford to on their own or feeding a needy family. Maybe it is helping a person who is stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire on Christmas Eve. I do not know exactly what it may be, but I do know it is our duty to help them; not for the recognition, but simply because we are unworthy servants doing our duty.
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