A Servant's Response

A Servant’s Response

“7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded [e]him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ “  - Luke 17:7-10

When Jesus commands us to serve, what is our response?  Sometimes, perhaps like the apostles, we’re looking for God’s gratitude when we do good in His name.  We think because we’re faithful servants that we ought to receive blessing or acknowledgement for what we do.  Perhaps that’s what the Apostles were looking for when they asked that their faith could be increased.  If they had greater faith, they thought perhaps that they would receive a greater reward.

What Jesus makes clear in this parable is that a servant who does as they are commanded is not then honored by the Master for the work they do but asked to serve Him when they come in from work.  They simply did as they were commanded, so it would be foolish for the Master to then thank the servant for doing what he was asked to do.

In the same way, when we do good work in God’s name, we should never be looking for praise, not from others and not from God.  If we do what we’re commanded, humility should be our response.  We shouldn’t look for acknowledgement but be content that we fulfilled what Christ has called us to do.  A servant’s reward is in their faithfulness, not in receiving praise for doing what they are called to do.

At the end of our lives we shall receive our reward if we are faithful servants, just as Jesus found His reward after He gave His life as a servant to save us from sin.  In this life, it is our service that gives promise.  Let’s look to be humble servants and do all that God has commanded us to do, so that He might receive the praise.

God bless this week,

Michael