Whom do you think Paul was talking to when he said, “We are fools for the sake of Jesus Christ, and you are wise in Jesus Christ.” To you! Not to the people who do not know God! He is talking to all who think they can work out their own salvation without accepting the folly of the cross of Jesus. No one wants to be humiliated and put down. It is not something to be excited about, but it is the way of God. You cannot give place to the world, to your passions or your laziness. Words are not enough to claim the kingdom of God.
Once entered, there are no limits to what our Master may ask of us. Please trust, dear reader, that the writer of this blog has voluntarily had the very awl of the doulos pierce his ear through to the doorpost. (Oh, by the way… my last name actually is Doulos!) And we must all submit ourselves to the full meaning of the word: Bondservant (doulos or δουλος) if the Gospel is actually going to work in our lives. As PreceptAustin.org says:
- “Bondservant” is the most abject servile term in the Greek to describe a slave who completely surrenders himself to the will and authority of another. Paul is saying that he has sold himself into slavery to His God and now his will was “swallowed up” in the will of his Master.
- “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. ~ Luke 14:26-27
Bottom line: If ANYTHING is even a little more important than Jesus in our lives, we cannot truly be called His followers. It just doesn’t work.
We are to be slaves to be used for His purpose and for His glory. Period.
Hold on a minute! Don’t go away yet.
Don’t forget the G_d to which we are enslaved. He is the very embodiment of Love, and Goodness, and everything else wonderful. If He wants us to be slaves, there must be a reason that we cannot fully see at first glance. 2 Corinthians 12:9 gives us a glimpse into the overall dynamic
- But he(G_d) said to me (paul), “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
The engineer in me sees a hyperbolic inverse proportional relationship between me asserting authority in my own existence and the working of G_d’s power in our lives.
May we all see this whole slavery thing in whole different light. He is wonderful. He is worthy. He is the Very Best of Masters.
