"God in heaven appoints each man's work" (cf. John 3:27, NLT).
Some of us aren't willing to do the dirty work that we see is beneath us, and this was so in Jesus' day when He draped a towel and washed the disciples' feet, a task fit only for non-Jewish slaves. Peter objected and didn't think the Lord should stoop so low, but that's what grace is: " Donald Grey Barnhouse said, "Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace." We must learn to relate to God's agape or unconditional love.
There are many dirty jobs few people are willing to do, and that's probably why they pay a lot: for example, the proctologist. I wouldn't do certain jobs for all the money in the world, like being a male nurse, because I don't have it in me to be that gracious and willing to work with people's physical problems. This is why we all need each other: we are all suited to different work and have different talents and we need to be willing to go where no one is willing to go. God hasn't given up on them because no one is too bad to be saved; we're all totally depraved and as far from redemption as can be without the grace of God.
Some of us aren't willing to do the dirty work that we see is beneath us, and this was so in Jesus' day when He draped a towel and washed the disciples' feet, a task fit only for non-Jewish slaves. Peter objected and didn't think the Lord should stoop so low, but that's what grace is: " Donald Grey Barnhouse said, "Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace." We must learn to relate to God's agape or unconditional love.
There are many dirty jobs few people are willing to do, and that's probably why they pay a lot: for example, the proctologist. I wouldn't do certain jobs for all the money in the world, like being a male nurse, because I don't have it in me to be that gracious and willing to work with people's physical problems. This is why we all need each other: we are all suited to different work and have different talents and we need to be willing to go where no one is willing to go. God hasn't given up on them because no one is too bad to be saved; we're all totally depraved and as far from redemption as can be without the grace of God.
I like to call this humble work "the order of the towel" like when Jesus did the foot-washing of the disciples. We need to be like Mother Teresa of Calcutta, now canonized, who went among the untouchables caste of India, who had been written off as beyond redemption. The right attitude is that of George Whitefield, who saw a man go to the gallows and remarked: "There but for the grace of God, go I." Again, I call this the order of the towel when we stoop to do God's work and don't think anything is beneath us.
A mother who changes diapers knows what love is: it's not necessarily a feeling but an act as we demonstrate it by our deeds. This is what discipleship is about: going where God calls us and doing what God calls us to do. Just like dung has fertilizing power, so Christians who get down and dirty have fertilizing power in the world, as they show Christ's love to the world. Just like there are dirty jobs that no one wants to do, but need to get done, so believers need to realize that they must be willing to get down and dirty with mankind. Whenever God gives you the challenge to humble yourself or eat your humble pie, rise to the occasion!
The world owes Christianity for the rise of hospitals, leprosariums, orphanages, relief organizations, and schools because the other religions failed to see the mission to reach out to the needy as Christians did. We must see ourselves as servants: "For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life--a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45, HCSB). We may have to be willing to stoop to save others: "save others by snatching them from the fire; on others have mercy in fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh."
We must be aware that "bad company corrupts good morals" (cf. 1 Cor. 15:33) and pick our friends wisely, but that doesn't mean we have to be afraid of any social contact as if we could be contaminated by fellowship--we'd have to go out of the world to avoid sinners altogether.
Soli Deo Gloria!
A mother who changes diapers knows what love is: it's not necessarily a feeling but an act as we demonstrate it by our deeds. This is what discipleship is about: going where God calls us and doing what God calls us to do. Just like dung has fertilizing power, so Christians who get down and dirty have fertilizing power in the world, as they show Christ's love to the world. Just like there are dirty jobs that no one wants to do, but need to get done, so believers need to realize that they must be willing to get down and dirty with mankind. Whenever God gives you the challenge to humble yourself or eat your humble pie, rise to the occasion!
The world owes Christianity for the rise of hospitals, leprosariums, orphanages, relief organizations, and schools because the other religions failed to see the mission to reach out to the needy as Christians did. We must see ourselves as servants: "For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life--a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45, HCSB). We may have to be willing to stoop to save others: "save others by snatching them from the fire; on others have mercy in fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh."
We must be aware that "bad company corrupts good morals" (cf. 1 Cor. 15:33) and pick our friends wisely, but that doesn't mean we have to be afraid of any social contact as if we could be contaminated by fellowship--we'd have to go out of the world to avoid sinners altogether.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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