What Rewards Are You Expecting from God?

What’s so difficult about being a servant or being thought of as a servant is the negative identity that is associated with being a servant to others. It creates an attitude of thinking that you do not measure up socially. Yet God calls each Christian to serve others.

It’s difficult to believe each person is accountable for the quality of service rendered to God and others. Quality of service refers to knowing what you do is for God’s personal glory and not your own glory. So what makes serving God and others so special?

Listen to Galatians 6:9. “Let us not become tired or weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” The harvest is the reward of experiencing God’s favor and having your life enriched with a godly purpose where you lay up treasure in heaven that makes you worthy to be invited to enter God’s Kingdom.

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Blessed is the one who remains faithful when tempted, because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.

~James 1:12 New International Version/Good News Bible

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Self-Respect: the Means for Self-Love - Part 2

How important are self-respect and self-love for determining lifestyle, success and happiness? June Jordan, the only child of Jamaican immigrants and who became an American poet and essayist, wrote in a speech: “I am a feminist and I am black which means that I must love myself as though my life depends upon self-love and self-respect.” You may or may not agree with her, but can you sense courage and endurance in her self-assessment?

Have you considered what gave Jesus courage to begin his ministry as Messiah? How did he endure the criticism, rejection, hatred and harassment for three years, then be able to go to the cross and suffer through the torturous pain of crucifixion?

Jesus believed he was indeed the Son of God and that he came to give his life as a ransom for all of mankind. Can you identify the purpose God has given you as a believer? The sharper you are in identifying that purpose, the greater will be your ability to endure the hardships of this life and still celebrate with joy the life God has given you.  

Integrity Guards Self-Respect - Part 1

Self-love and self-respect have nothing in common with self-righteousness. I can understand how these concepts get confusing for some people, even devout Christians. The Bible warns of thinking too highly of oneself because it makes us vulnerable to failure. The goal of self-righteousness is to deceive. It gives the impression we’re above the rules of society.

Thomas Adams said, "Self-righteousness is the devil's masterpiece. It persuades us to think too highly of ourselves." However, healthy self-esteem parallels self-respect and self-love, which are companions to the commandments to love God with your entire being and your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus modeled for us self-respect and self-love by consistently putting himself into the role of a servant even though his righteousness was on the same level as God the Father. Appropriate self-respect and self-love reach out to others and are the building blocks for establishing values for a happier, healthier, contented life.