One morning a man stopped his car and let out a large dog, no leash. The dog ran all over, rushing up to people and other dogs. When the man walked near me, I politely told him that the signs say this is not an off-leash area. He began yelling at me, including words like, “Who are you to tell me what to do?”
I suspected that I was not the only one who couldn’t give him orders. I also wondered if he needed a reminder that he was setting a questionable example for his grandchildren, but didn’t say that. This was obviously not the first time he disregarded rules and had no respect for the authority behind them.
The Apostle Paul was not like that. He paid attention to his Boss and had no regard for his own wants and wishes.
But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)The word “ministry” is diakonia, the same Greek word that is translated deacon. It means serving and refers to those who serve or execute the commands of others. A “minister” is someone who, by the command of God, proclaims and promotes the gospel. This is what Paul did. It was his calling.
While “serving” (same word) is listed as one of the spiritual gifts, all Christians are called to serve others. This is one segment of what it means to “love your neighbor as yourself.” The Greek word for love, agape, means to give of oneself in a sacrificial way for the current and eternal well-being of others. In other words, to love people means to serve them, meet their needs, put them before myself.
No doubt thousands of books have been written describing ways to do that. Husbands are to minister to their wives, and wives are to minister to their husbands. Pastors minister to their congregations. Christians serve one another and reach out in ministry to a needy world. As Paul says, being a Christian is not about me. He denied himself and served. He did this in obedience to Jesus Christ who gave him this ministry.
Ministry requires a good attitude, but also requires godly wisdom. In a section describing it, James says godly wisdom goes hand in hand with unselfish service. That is, the wise person is a person who yields up their life to serve, just as Paul did. I’ve italicized key words.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. . . . Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure. . . . Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James 3:13–4:3)In short, the selfish person has no concern for others and is foolish. The wise person yields to God and serves others. So if I want to be a wise person, then self-seeking or stubbornly insisting on my own way cannot be part of the picture. I have to listen to authority, God first, and do what I’m told. If I won’t listen to God, my sinful and self-seeking nature will not listen to any other authority. Instead, I will ignore speed limits and other social rules and do whatever I want.
The fruit of doing my own thing might feel like “freedom” but is it? Paul abandoned his own plans to serve the Lord. As a result, nothing in this life “moved him” because it was not important. He also was free from the tyranny of needed his own way and instead served God with joy.
James associates self-serving with confusion and evil, even with demons. On the other hand, he associates willingness to yield with purity, peace, and the assurance of answered prayer.
The sinful human heart has this notion that if I cannot control my environment, then I will not prosper or be happy. If I can’t let my dog run wherever I want, then I am in bondage to the legal system. But God says and demonstrates that we are only joyful and have inner peace when we give up our I-wants, obey authority (God first) and serve others. Sinful me could suppose that God is out of touch with real life, but when I compare the example of the Apostle Paul or the list of what is wise with that man yelling at me over his rights, there is no doubt that God knows the best way for me to live.
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