As Servants of God

"As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance...through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise..." (2Corinthians 6:4,8).

After twenty-four years of faithful service to his church in Northampton, Massachusetts, Jonathan Edwards was honored by an all-expense-paid, month-long sabbatical in the Hamptons. 

No, actually he was fired, the victim of slander, a marvelous example of the old adage: No good deed goes unpunished.

It’s worth noting that Edwards was the pastor of one of the largest churches in the colonies, was America’s premier theologian and philosopher, was one of the prime movers of The Great Awakening, and, if the ability to attract youth is a criterion to be advanced, had over three hundred young people in his church. Nevertheless his congregation sacked him.

Those who observed Edwards in the days that followed were amazed at his equanimity: he was calm and quiet and showed no displeasure toward those who demanded his dismissal. As one biographer put it, "His happiness was out of the reach of his enemies" (Iain Murray). 

How can we maintain our composure in the face of such egregious injustice? Paul answers: By remembering that we are first and foremost "servants of God."

Many years ago, a friend of mine told me about a board meeting in which he was being viciously maligned. At one point one of his detractors shouted, "Don't forget, son, you work for us; we pay your salary and we can fire you at will!" My friend absorbed the rebuke quietly and replied. "Yes sir," he said. "You do pay my salary and you can fire me at any time, but I don't work for you. I am a servant of Jesus Christ." 

I wasn't present on that occasion, but his words have indelibly marked my own thoughts about the work that we do: We are servants of Jesus Christ.

That doesn't mean we can be cavalier about our employment and use it as an oportunity for indolence or autocratic leadership. It does however free us from worry about what others think of us, say about us, or do to us. We can endure dishonor and slander and we can do so with joy, "knowing that from the Lord (we) will receive the inheritance as (our) reward. For we serve the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:24). 

David Roper

11.13.18