Costs Me Nothing

Costs Me Nothing:

We Christians are quite the lot. I say this lovingly and knowing full well that I (with all my brokenness) am counted in our number. We are broken, foolish, rude, selfish, arrogant, prideful, and those are some of our “best” qualities. It never ceases to amaze me how the people of God treat our places of worship - and worse - treat those who serve as ministers and volunteers there.

Some time ago at a church in a galaxy far, far away… a woman who served refreshments on Sunday morning looked like she was about to cry. When I asked her if she was okay she said, “A man just yelled at me because we were out of donuts.”

The sanctuaries of many churches I’ve attended look similar to movie theaters after a show: with trash under the seats, spilled beverages, empty cups, dirty tissues, etc.

We come into worship with our foreboding sense of entitlement, which carries over into the way we treat others - thus preventing the Word of God from falling on anything but hard-packed soil.

We zip into the lot snatching up the closest parking spot available - even if it’s marked for guests, we demand our free coffee and donut, we take a worship guide without a smile or saying thank you, we seat ourselves in the optimal spot for quick exit, and we leave early so we don’t have to talk to anyone or get caught in traffic. Then we have the audacity to ask God why He never answers our prayers.

In 2 Samuel 24:24 King David shows us why he is referred to by God as “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). David was offered a huge piece of land, the wood, the cattle, etc. by the owner at no cost - for FREE - and David vehemently rejected the offer saying, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not offer anything to the LORD my God that cost me nothing."

Some Christians today will argue that David was temporarily misguided in trying to earn God’s favor through works, but nothing could be farther from the truth. David understood better than most Christians that while we cannot earn our salvation through works - we can, and in fact should, invest ourselves and be poured out completely for the glory of His Name.

How long have you been a Christian? Are you still looking for handouts and freebies? Are you an asset to the Kingdom of God in fulfilling Christ’s Mission to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth?

Jesus said, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…” Then, just before He went to the Cross He told His disciples - those who would claim to be His followers in every age - to wash one another’s feet, i.e. to serve others.

Does the story of your life as a follower of Christ look like that - or are you still looking to be served?

“No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not offer anything to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.”

Blessings,

-Kevin