Showing posts with label servant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label servant. Show all posts
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Genesis Ministries
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The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:11-12
What is our motivation for doing what we do? Sometimes in the larger things, we may feel that we come with noble motives, but what about the smaller everyday things? When we work, what is the purpose of what we do? Is it to feel accomplished, to be able to recommend ourselves, improve our own status? Or do we seek to be of help and to serve those around us, seeking instead the greater end over our own recognition?
This is the heart of what Jesus is telling his disciples, and continues to tell us today. It's easy to get caught up in thinking that a job is "ours", that no one else could do it or do it better at the very least, that we are the best at something - the most generous, the most loving, the best parent. Christ implores us to look beyond ourselves, to realize that our glory is aligned with His. Everything we do - work, school, family life - all of it is in service to one another, and in service of Christ. When those things are in jeopardy, we naturally feel the need to promote ourselves. Yet, the greater glory, it sounds like, is in continuing to serve selflessly and trusting that the Lord will provide all the recognition and promotion we need. It may not look as we want it to, but all will be well in the end.
Grant us rest, O Lord, from the worries in our hearts and help us to seek our greatness in You alone. Amen.
What is our motivation for doing what we do? Sometimes in the larger things, we may feel that we come with noble motives, but what about the smaller everyday things? When we work, what is the purpose of what we do? Is it to feel accomplished, to be able to recommend ourselves, improve our own status? Or do we seek to be of help and to serve those around us, seeking instead the greater end over our own recognition?
This is the heart of what Jesus is telling his disciples, and continues to tell us today. It's easy to get caught up in thinking that a job is "ours", that no one else could do it or do it better at the very least, that we are the best at something - the most generous, the most loving, the best parent. Christ implores us to look beyond ourselves, to realize that our glory is aligned with His. Everything we do - work, school, family life - all of it is in service to one another, and in service of Christ. When those things are in jeopardy, we naturally feel the need to promote ourselves. Yet, the greater glory, it sounds like, is in continuing to serve selflessly and trusting that the Lord will provide all the recognition and promotion we need. It may not look as we want it to, but all will be well in the end.
Grant us rest, O Lord, from the worries in our hearts and help us to seek our greatness in You alone. Amen.
Posted by
Genesis Ministries
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But the LORD answered me, Say not, "I am too young." To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD. Jeremiah 1:7-8
Having entered the Catholic Church at a campus parish during my college years, I perhaps have fewer preconceptions about what it looks like to be a servant of God. The people serving the Lord around me throughout my conversion ranged from birkenstock-wearing college folks, to missionary priests and military personnel. Some were more holy than others, but all of them showed me the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ in a special way.
I think sometimes we get caught up in our own images of what we must be in order to serve God. We build up roadblocks in our heads - we're too young, too old, too imperfect, too busy. Even the prophet Jeremiah tried that line back in the day. The thing is, God doesn't fall for that. When I was struggling with whether or not I was qualified or able to go into ministry as a career, a friend shared with me a now familiar saying. God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called. In fact, the best servants simply take their direction from God and God alone. As baptized members of the body of Christ, we are given access to the Great Qualifier. If God is calling, He won't leave us to fend for ourselves.
Another roadblock sometimes grows out of a desire to see the fruit of our labor. We expect sensational results if we are serving God. However, we may not all be servants whose acts bring about glorious transformation - we can't all be St. Paul or St. Peter. Pope Benedict XVI, in writing about St. Bartholomew, whose feast day it is today, said, "Despite the scarcity of information about him, St. Bartholomew stands before us to tell us that attachment to Jesus can also be lived and witnessed to without performing sensational deeds." We have to struggle into the understanding that the glory is God's alone, and happens in His time despite our best efforts now.
What holds you back from answering God with a resounding "YES!"?
I think sometimes we get caught up in our own images of what we must be in order to serve God. We build up roadblocks in our heads - we're too young, too old, too imperfect, too busy. Even the prophet Jeremiah tried that line back in the day. The thing is, God doesn't fall for that. When I was struggling with whether or not I was qualified or able to go into ministry as a career, a friend shared with me a now familiar saying. God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called. In fact, the best servants simply take their direction from God and God alone. As baptized members of the body of Christ, we are given access to the Great Qualifier. If God is calling, He won't leave us to fend for ourselves.
Another roadblock sometimes grows out of a desire to see the fruit of our labor. We expect sensational results if we are serving God. However, we may not all be servants whose acts bring about glorious transformation - we can't all be St. Paul or St. Peter. Pope Benedict XVI, in writing about St. Bartholomew, whose feast day it is today, said, "Despite the scarcity of information about him, St. Bartholomew stands before us to tell us that attachment to Jesus can also be lived and witnessed to without performing sensational deeds." We have to struggle into the understanding that the glory is God's alone, and happens in His time despite our best efforts now.
What holds you back from answering God with a resounding "YES!"?
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