Slaves and Rulers

Slaves & Rulers
10-11-08
This morning I was washing dishes after just having put together a Sunday School lesson. There were a lot of things I was trying to accomplish and it was all running through my head. I wished I had a servant to wash my dishes so I could be free to accomplish what I felt was more important. Then I thought “Why does it seem like I’m a slave in the kingdom I’m supposed to rule in?” and wondered if I was trying to do too much. I felt the Lord draw near, and it was too late to swallow down my thoughts about being like a slave. But God is kind, and He knows the thoughts we think. I heard a very still, small voice inside saying, “Pray for laborers for the harvest.” (Lk 10:2). My thoughts left the dishes and I wondered if the Lord was shifting my focus to preaching the gospel. But the He broadened my understanding, as He does sometimes without even a word, and let me know that all the labor we do is part of His kingdom’s work.
He began again with “You are not meant to do it alone. Remember the parable about the laborers in the vineyard? There were some who were not hired by those working in the field (Mt 20:6-7). But I needed those who were waiting to do the work, so I sent them to My field. There is much work to do yet those working did not see they need others to help. When a laborer thinks he can do everything himself he is displaying an independent spirit.
A man with an independent spirit will not be knit together with others. If men would be knit together into a body they would serve one another. Not only would they each have time to rule but they would cause others to rule also. Remember that those who labored in the Word separated themselves from those who waited on tables. Pray for table-waiters when you are laboring in the word . . . and wait on tables yourself when you are not laboring in the Word.”
Do we pray for people to come and wash our dishes for us? I think it is better to pray for laborers to come. I look forward to serving them, and being served also, so that we are knit together in God’s purposes. Then all the work will be done. Amen.