restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations
Creditor or Debtor?
David
Alan Black
In
Romans 1:14-15 Paul writes:
For I am debtor to all people, to the civilized and to the savage, to
the educated and to the ignorant. So then, I am eager to preach the
Gospel to you also who live in Rome.
Wise words from a wise man, written especially to those of us who may be
tempted to see ourselves as creditors instead of as debtors.
At
my age, it's easy to live with a sense of entitlement. Aging
baby-boomers like myself may be tempted to think, "Hey, I've paid my
dues. I've served Jesus faithfully for many years. It's time to be
served. It's time for life to be easy. I have the right to comfort,
respect, and appreciation."
It's so easy to make an idol out of appreciation. We start needing
others' affirmation so that we feel a sense of achievement and success.
"I've traveled thousands of miles serving Jesus. I've trudged through
deserts and forded rivers for the cause of Christ. Isn't it about time I
got some credit for it?" Or a parent can think, "I've poured my life
into raising you. The least you can do is show me some appreciation!"
The older I get, the more I'm finding it's necessary to re-examine my
perspective on living. Like all sinners, I suffer from spiritual myopia.
With a humble dependency on God, I need to expose the critical issues of
my heart to the pure light of God's Word. Our identity as Christians,
says Paul, is not rooted in our performance. It is rooted in the Gospel.
We are called to be faithful servants no matter what the outcome. In the
end, I do not need to be concerned about the approval and affirmation of
others. Because Christ is the source of my identity, I need not allow
respect, comfort, or appreciation to rule my heart. I can glory in the
knowledge that in every trial of life God has a greater agenda than my
personal comfort.
Friend, do not give in to an entitlement mentality. In moments of
discouragement and defeat, we can choose to accept every difficulty as a
God-given opportunity to develop a more Christ-like attitude toward
life. Paul is showing us where our real priorities are to lie. In order
to live for Christ, God must expose those areas in our life that reflect
irresponsibility, foolish thinking, and immature behavior. This is true
whether you are nine or ninety! And immaturity often rears its ugly head
whenever we decide to wallow in self-pity instead of choosing to serve
others.
So, "debtor" is not just another word in my vocabulary. It has become a
real part of my life. The older I get, the more I need this perspective.
I AM NOT MY OWN. I BELONG TO GOD. AND I AM TO GLORIFY HIM BY SERVING
OTHERS IN HIS NAME. Without question, there are lost sheep out there,
and we're sent to find them. But we will never pursue Gospel living as
long as we see ourselves as creditors instead of debtors.
I
warn all of us against such thought and action. Unless we consciously
guard ourselves against it, when we face discouragement we'll begin to
search for a way for others to feed our much-deserved utopia. But the
Christian owns nothing! We simply manage God's resources.
Have you "ordained" everything in your life to God and His service? You
don't have an eternity ahead of you to do this. Aging is a process from
which none of us can escape. As the reality of growing older looms
ahead, we can grow better, not just older. I can't drive or read without
eyeglasses. My back aches when I pick up the lightest objects. Ugh! Paul
says, "Think about who you are. Instead of sitting there in selfish
silence, give of yourself for others, regardless of their cultural
background or educational level. Let the benchmark of your life be
generosity. God has given you undiminished potential to serve Him. Let
go! Let it flow!"
At
the age of eighty-eight, John Wesley could still preach with eloquent
power. Our older years can be the most fruitful years of life in terms
of Gospel service. None of us is finished or washed up. The worst thing
we can do is to carve out a rut and crawl into it. There are too many
opportunities to serve Jesus to do that!
December 20, 2011
David Alan Black is the editor
of.
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