Sunday’s message about complaining has stirred up a lot of conversation. Last night at the BBQ I had a few people say to me, “When I started to complain, I had to catch myself and realize what I was doing and find something positive and better to say.”
As I thought about that during the night last night, I thought, “That is what becoming Christ-like is all about.” We are called to intentionally love our neighbors, but how can we do that if we are living with a spirit of complaining? How does that reflect the love of a servant? Which is what we are to be to our neighbors (everyone around us).
I read this week about the father of the Cuban nation, José Martí. He visited the Dominican General Maximo Gomez and asked him for a favor. What was his request of Gomez? To liberate a people not his own, to free the Cuban people of the oppressive yoke of its mother country, Spain.
At the request, the general asked, “And what things will you offer me?”
To which Marti replied, “I offer oblivion, contempt, and ingratitude of the people. That [is what] I offer.”
On hearing this, General Gomez said, “I will go with you!”
That is the kind of sacrificial service, full of compassion that is characteristic of Jesus Christ and those who are the followers of Jesus. The word “servant” that appears in Philippians is the Greek word “doulous,” translated “slave” or “person who is in subjection or subordination, subjection voluntary or involuntary.”
In Haiti, doulous does not apply to government officials or police authorities who sell themselves to the highest bidder and don’t really serve the needs of the people that they are there to “serve.” The problem is, too often even Christians imitate non-Christians in their eagerness to be served.
As we talked about on Sunday, complaining seems to be very much a part of our culture. But Christ—through His sacrificial service—calls us to be countercultural. Today, as children of God participating in the ministry of God, we are called to take the identify of doulous. How is He calling you to use your gifts and talents to serve others……with an attitude that is reflective of Christ?
I’m looking forward to Sunday as we gather together again and look at what it means for us to surrender our fears to God.
Pastor Dave
As I thought about that during the night last night, I thought, “That is what becoming Christ-like is all about.” We are called to intentionally love our neighbors, but how can we do that if we are living with a spirit of complaining? How does that reflect the love of a servant? Which is what we are to be to our neighbors (everyone around us).
I read this week about the father of the Cuban nation, José Martí. He visited the Dominican General Maximo Gomez and asked him for a favor. What was his request of Gomez? To liberate a people not his own, to free the Cuban people of the oppressive yoke of its mother country, Spain.
At the request, the general asked, “And what things will you offer me?”
To which Marti replied, “I offer oblivion, contempt, and ingratitude of the people. That [is what] I offer.”
On hearing this, General Gomez said, “I will go with you!”
That is the kind of sacrificial service, full of compassion that is characteristic of Jesus Christ and those who are the followers of Jesus. The word “servant” that appears in Philippians is the Greek word “doulous,” translated “slave” or “person who is in subjection or subordination, subjection voluntary or involuntary.”
In Haiti, doulous does not apply to government officials or police authorities who sell themselves to the highest bidder and don’t really serve the needs of the people that they are there to “serve.” The problem is, too often even Christians imitate non-Christians in their eagerness to be served.
As we talked about on Sunday, complaining seems to be very much a part of our culture. But Christ—through His sacrificial service—calls us to be countercultural. Today, as children of God participating in the ministry of God, we are called to take the identify of doulous. How is He calling you to use your gifts and talents to serve others……with an attitude that is reflective of Christ?
I’m looking forward to Sunday as we gather together again and look at what it means for us to surrender our fears to God.
Pastor Dave
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