Integrity and Serving God

When the sermon is flat, or the Bible teacher seems without enthusiasm, or the Christian at the homeless shelter is rough instead of gentle, the reasons are seldom what they seem.

Serving Jesus Christ has much to do with priorities and with realizing that everything I do affects my service. I cannot be used by God to bless others if I head off to church Sunday morning with anger in my heart because someone was thoughtless toward me at home. I cannot be a blessing in my home if I am constantly irritated by the constant phone calls from tele-marketers. I cannot be pleasant to the clerks in the supermarket if I’m worried about some issue that I’m trying to solve on my own without consulting God. Often the little things cause big problems, like a tiny burr under my saddle!

Serving the Lord requires keeping short accounts with Him. I cannot be sinless, but I do need to be honest and confess my sin to God as soon as I am aware of it. I cannot be aware if I do not spend time with Him in prayer and in His Word. If I neglect spiritual disciplines, my selfish nature will assume control of my attitudes and actions. Even if this is only one annoying area of life (such as ‘Who left those dirty dishes in the living room?’) my attitude toward it will affect all other areas.

Paul knew that. He wrote to the church in Corinth because his own ministry was under scrutiny. He wanted them to know the priority he had for serving the Lord and what that meant in his life. He endured much just so he could serve them.

We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything (2 Corinthians 6:3-10).

In this section, commend means “to introduce with the connotation of proving oneself.” Paul wanted them to know that whatever was thrown at him, good or bad, his ministry to them was more important than giving up, defending himself, protecting himself, or taking care of his own needs first. He refused to become self-focused because he knew that if he did, his ministry would not only suffer but be discredited. That does not mean covering up all that bothered him, but dealing with it honestly, then moving forward.

Another thing I realize about keeping my life in harmony with the will of God is that I’m less apt to hear Him speak because I’m too busy listening to my own grumbling, complaining, and reasons for not being happy with life. Or I might be so caught up in the pleasures of life so much that I’m not listening to God. Either way, how can He direct what I do for others if I am not even thinking about Him or others?

These verses are the context of today’s devotional reading, but the two verses before them also speak to my heart: “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Salvation is a once-for-all experience, and yet it is not once for all. I’m to be saved from sin every day of my life. The reading in Ears from Harvested Sheaves says this:

Though we die, and die daily, yet, behold, we live; and in a sense, the more we die, the more we live. The more we die to self, the more we die to sin; the more we die to pride and self-righteousness, the more we die to creature strength; and the more we die to nature, the more we live to grace. And this runs all the way through the life and experience of a Christian.

He also adds that “weeds must be plucked up, that the crop may grow; the flesh be starved, that the spirit may be fed; the old man put off, that the new man may be put on; the deeds of the body be mortified, that the soul may live unto God.”

The more I die to my own strength, the more I live to Christ’s strength. The more I die to my own hopes and dreams, to my own righteousness, and to the world, the more I live for Jesus Christ and for heaven.

The reading says that this is “the grand mystery—the Christian is always dying, yet always living; and the more he dies, the more he lives.” I agree. I know that if God is not using me, the life of the flesh, the influence of the world, or the lies of the devil will be affecting what I do.

I also know this is true for all Christians. When I hear a flat sermon or encounter a lifeless and dull believer, I am aware that they need encouragement to turn again to God, and my prayers of intercession to help them overcome that thing, whatever it is, somewhere in their life that has gone awry.