The Slave Oxymoron

Wasn't it Paul who said that he was a slave for Christ?

The word 'slave' brings up many negative connotations. Suppressed, abused, captive, mistreated, lonely, dirty, weak and weary. It makes me thing of cruel, unloving, cold hearted masters who laugh at the pain of their labourers. It's true- slaves of the world are probably not the most benefited people you'll meet.

People are slaves to drugs, to immorality, to lying, to cheating... they're addicted. People are slaves to those they love, and want to be loved by. They scamper around, completely under the influence of their master, and doing everything in their power to please them, and to earn their love. I don't believe it works that way.

So, why on earth would Paul write that he was a slave of Christ? How could he think that it would be an appealing analogy to the unbelievers? Well first off, I hesitate to call it an analogy because in reality, it's the full-blown truth. It's the literal fact of who he is. Let's take a look on why he chose to reveal himself as a slave.

Dictionary.com says that a SLAVE is:
     -a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another.
          -a person entirely under the domination of some influence or person.

Okay... so, if that "another" or "person" in the above definitions is found out to be... alcohol, then that definitely is bad. Unwholesome, and unhealthy. Imagine you were looking at those definitions for the first time, and the last word was substituted with a problem you are dealing with. "A person who is the property of and wholly subject to _________." Basically, you could just enter 'sin' and it would be realistic enough. "a person entirely under the domination of sin."

Honestly though, I don't believe Paul had any of those thoughts in his head as he wrote his letters. He was simply someone SO in love with God, that there was no other legitimate way to describe his relationship with him! Child, son, daughter, friend, those are all true. But slave? The first thought that came to my head when I read Romans 1:1 wasn't exactly very positive. ~

This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ, chosen by God to be an

apostle and sent out to preach the good news.

Hm. He's a slave of Christ, eh? Jesus captured him and forced him to do His work, hmm?? Paul is laboriously working for God's benefit in harsh conditions, with danger around every turn? Interesting. 

But, wait. Let's look at those 'slave' definitions again. Instead of filling in the blank with 'sin,' or another problem, let's fill it in with what Paul did.

SLAVE:

     -a person who is the property of, and wholly subject to Christ.

          -a person entirely under the domination and influence of Christ.

The more I look at it that way, the more it makes sense! Who wouldn't want to be the property of an eternal Father? Who wouldn't want to be completely under the influence of a loving, forgiving, and perfect God? Since Paul was a diehard slave of One so loving and compassionate, it makes sense that Paul would go to the extremes for this Master of his.

Slaves are bought. In the olden days, they were traded, or sold at auctions to the highest bidder. Maybe slaves are bought at bars, or illegally. Maybe they're bought through the compromise of fundamental ethics. But slaves of Christ, they were bought, too. They were bought through the blood of Christ, himself. He didn't pay with phony or dirty money. He didn't pay with rotting, finite bills. He paid with His life. Sounds like quite the switcharoo, doesn't it?

In Romans 1:1, it says that Paul was chosen by God. That clicks into place too, doesn't it? Slave masters pick out the slaves they want. The ones that are nimble, strong, healthy, and can get the job done. God chose us, too. The difference is, He chose us even when we were still sinners. He chose us when we were the filthy liars and cheaters. He chose us, and called us to himself. For example, Paul the Apostle, himself! He was one of the the biggest Christian-haters of his time. He stood by the execution of another slave of Christ, Stephen. And yet, look who Christ picked out to accomplish a vast amount of His work!! It's not the way the world works- good thing.

I chose to write on this topic because the idea of being a servant has been wandering its way around in my mind for a while now. In just two days, I will be off on a short-term missions trip. Down south we're going, to the tropical Central American lands of Guatemala. We've been training and preparing and yet, there's some work still to be done- mainly heart issues.

I want to be a slave of Christ. Being poured out completely because I love my Master so much- that's a dream come true... in theory. When the immediate opportunity arises to prove my loyalty to Christ, I often back out. It's yet another difference between worldly slavery and divine slavery. If an earthly slave disobeys his master, he is severely beaten, perhaps; stereotype slave masters would often abuse their slaves. With divine slavery- you're really just abusing yourself every time you skip out on God's knocking opportunities for you.

We are going to Guatemala to serve; to serve God by serving others. If I'm a servant of God, who am I serving? The answer is obviously God. But sometimes, I have to ask myself that very question. Thoughts will come into my head. What can I get out of this trip? I hope people notice what I do and remember it. I wonder if something cool will happen to me....

What is wrong with those thoughts? Everything. If this was a vacation, a typical, worldly vacation, and I wasn't a Christian- those would be pretty expected thoughts. But this is a missions trip. It's a trip for God. The specific issue with those thoughts is that they are totally not focused on the reason for the trip!! They're focused instead on me. Me, me, me. Suddenly, it's not a missions trip anymore. The moment I start to think about how the trip can benefit me, my heart changes from a servant's to a master's. Personally, I would not make a good master. So why do I let myself take charge? It doesn't end well. 

If everyone, including myself, agrees that the purpose of this trip is to serve God- I think I should be the last person on my mind. J-O-Y, J-O-Y, this is what  it means: Jesus FIRST, yourself LAST, and others in between. It's a simply rhyme- but a tricky life application.

I've been praying for this trip. Praying that my eyes are not focused on myself, but focused dead ahead to my Slave Master, Jesus Christ. He's the One who gave His own life to chose me, what have I done that's worthy of attention? I've been praying for Him to humble me for a long time. It's hard in Canada where we have so much and can get anything we want so instantaneously. Being humbled isn't fun. But it's necessary. And technically... it's natural.

John 3:30 ~ He must become greater; I must become less.

2 Corinthians 12:10 ~ That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecution, in troubles I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

So what kind of things are making you hold your head a little higher than it ought to? What kind of things are tricking you into believing that you are your own master? Because, truth me told, if you are a slave to anything on this earth, it can't be good. A slave to anything or anyone other than God will end in disaster. It's bondage.

That includes slavery to yourself.

The 'E' Word

According to Wikipedia, 33.39% of the world’s population claims to be Christians. Out of that percentage, only 8.15% are Protestant. The other 25.24% are Roman Catholic, Orthodox, or Anglican… etc. And who knows how much of that 8.15% are just living their fathers’ faith, or just keeping up with the trend?

Matthew 7:22-23 says: Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

So basically, I believe that many people; our friends, family, pastors, teachers, heroes, maybe even our own selves, will be very surprised on the day of judgment when we meet God face to face and are told, “I never knew you. Depart from me.”

So, let’s take a look at those percentages once more. If 8.15% of the world claims to be Protestant, let’s just assume that 6.5% or so are truly right with God. From there, let’s see how many that actually is. 6.5% of 6.974 billion people is 453,310,000 people. Congratulations. Assuming they are all born-again Christians, that’s quite a sum! 453,310,000 people are on their way to the pearly gates!

Well, we could be pretty proud of ourselves and pat each other on the backs for a job well done, we could sit back and relax knowing that so many people are saved, or we could look at the other side of that estimated statistic. 453,310,000 people of the world saved leaves about 6,520,690,000 who have a spot waiting for them in hell. That’s not meant to be a casual statement, that is serious.

So what about those people? The atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, and all the other world religions? I think it can be easy to look at it from two wrong perspectives.

We look at all those who are saved and decide that we don’t have to worry about the rest. Maybe they weren’t ‘meant’ to be Christians, maybe their hopeless. We indirectly imagine God turning a blind eye to the lost souls of the world, and simply revelling in the knowledge that 400 million people are secure behind heaven’s gates.  This, I firmly believe, is totally unrealistic. We are so self-centred as human beings. We may pretend we aren’t, but in truth, we are the most important people in our lives. It’s super hard to put others before ourselves, we think everything revolves around us! Sometimes we really need to step back, and look at the bigger picture! All the billions of people roaming the earth that you know nothing about, they don’t know about you, either. To them, they are the most important person. But the reality is that God sees all, and He knows all. Who really is the most important? We all know the answer for memory: God. He loves each person intimately and infinitely- not just those who have received salvation. His heart grieves for the lost! Sometimes I get into the thinking that God knows me the most; that maybe, since I know myself so well, I just imagine Him being my own personal friend- and no one else’s. But far from it! Though many people don’t have a personal relationship with Christ, He knows them and loves them just as much as He loves you. As much as He celebrates your second birth, He grieves every unbeliever’s second death.

The other way we can look at it (incorrectly, of course) is that God is less happy with less numbers. Personally, I don’t think so.  Luke 15:10 says: “…In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." God doesn’t look at how many people have accepted Christ vs. how many haven’t, and been disappointed. If you were the only sinner on earth, God would still die for you! He rejoices for every one person who is saved, and doesn’t compare it to the rest of the unsaved world. I truly don’t believe God looks at heaven’s population and thinks “Well, it leaves much to be desired, but it’s better than nothing.” Honestly, it’s not like there’s power in numbers- the number of salvations doesn’t matter as much as the salvations themselves. If that didn’t make sense, don’t worry. I’m moving on.

I suggested to Ben that we discuss the topic of evangelism, and I’m really thankful that we went through with it. God’s put in my heart a passion for evangelism that I hope never dies down, and I kind of have a thought that it is one of the MOST IMPORTANT issues.

Let me explain before you judge my thoughts. The reason I believe it is soooo very important, is because it is one of the only things that is absolutely permanent, and is really one of the very few topics that determines life or death. Paradise or torture. Heaven or hell. People are going to hell! That’s the truth! About 100-150 people die every minute on earth. About 200-300 are born every minute on earth. Every minute, souls are being tossed into the Lake of Fire- and they will be there for eternity. And every minute, a couple hundred new souls are brought into the world, who will grow up to be independent thinkers, and will need salvation for themselves.

The very thought of even one person going to hell is enough to break my heart. I’ve lain awake in a cold sweat imagining the horror. Living your life thinking you had it all together, heaping up your wealth and thinking that was all there was. You wanted to go peacefully, you wanted to die without guilt- when bam! That expensive tombstone and serene cemetery do absolutely nothing  to help your predicament now. In one heartbeat, or, the absence of one, you went from an average, happy-go-lucky, empty life on earth, to everlasting torture. Your skin burns off your arms but you don’t get the luxury of dying. You see one drop of water above, but it never falls to wet your wretched, parched throat. You scream so loud that your eyes go bloodshot- but no one hears you, for they’re all screaming just the same. Nightmarish, ghoulish faces all around- demonic spirits whispering to you the whole while, you know where you are. There’s no mistaking it. On earth, you told those Christians that you needed proof. Well, here it is. And now, you’re stuck there. It will never end. EVER. I still can’t wrap my mind around that concept- it’s too terrifying. It will just not end. Ever. I wonder if they will be able to see heaven in the distance… or even catch a glimpse of the paradise. If they did, their torment would be ever so much more intense. Knowing what they could’ve had if they had only believed. Well, they believe now! But it’s too late.

This is my passion. As I speak, people are entering their perpetual doom by the hundreds. Satan’s cavern is swallowing up souls rapidly, and it will always be hungry. People are there right now! Maybe even people who thought they were saved. Only God knows the heart. 

Realising the terrible reality, I began to wonder what hope those people had. But I remembered. Me. They have Jesus- and Jesus lives in us, His followers. Jesus came to save the lost, and we are to be His ambassadors! Should we not be doing the same thing? 

When I get to thinking about this, I get so restless and agitated- I get annoyed that I am so young! I think, “Well, what can I do?” I can’t easily go board a plane and fly to Asia or Australia. I can’t go preach to the remote tribes of South America. I am kind of stuck here, in Alberta. So, I make do. The lost people in Three Hills are just as lost and needy as those in Africa. They are loved just the same, and they need Christ just the same. So why am I worrying about going overseas when the mission at hand is just as present?

John 4:35 ~ My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. ³⁵ Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

The fields are the world. We’re talking about a soul harvest here! Where the workers, (the Evangelists) will go and begin to harvest. For they are ready to come, and need to come! The fields are white- that means they’re ready. If we wait too long, they will begin to die a permanent death. No second chances.

Luke 10:2 ~ He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

Other versions say to pray earnestly for the Lord to send out workers into the fields. Why would we be told to pray earnestly if it wasn’t important? 

My Dad told me about a dream He once had. It was judgment day, and they were standing in line before God. Everyone who had ever lived was lined up, and the Lord was separating the sheep from the goats. My Dad was standing in line, and his best friend was standing in front of Him. When it got to my dad’s friend’s turn, he stepped up. God looked through the book of life for the man’s name, but He couldn’t find it. He said “Depart from me, for I never knew you. You will have to go to my left.” The left side was filled with those awaiting their never-ending punishment. Before the man walked sadly away, he turned around to face my Dad and said, “Pete, you called me your best friend. But you never once told me about Jesus.”

Even as I write those words, I feel choked up. There are so many people unsaved, walking around oblivious to the fact that they are on death row. Imagine the tears and the pain when we see them leave us forever for eternal suffering. Watching them live their lives without Christ and knowing it… I don’t see how that is very loving. The best thing you could ever do for a friend is save their life. That’s what we’re trying to do! IT doesn’t matter if they have cancer, if they are murdered, if they live long and healthy, or if they die in an accident… if they don’t have Christ, then they’re goners. You say you love them, so why aren’t you proving your love by leading them to their salvation? I just get so angry because I feel like we are walking around, completely with the knowledge that many of our friends and maybe family members are going to hell. We know they need Christ. And yet, we do nothing about it. Why?

Honestly, why?

Past Impressions

Do you understand the double entendre of the title? I don't know if it really makes sense, but it was an attempt. I'll let you figure it out for now, and I'll explain myself at the end for those of you who are thinking, "What in the world? She tries to be cryptic but makes no sense." Sorry about that.

Recently, I was privileged and blessed to attend YC Alberta 2013 with my beloved youth group. It was an experience I will never forget, and hope to relive next year again! I learned so many lessons, that it's still taking time to let everything sift through. It's been a week, and new memories and lessons keep popping into my head- I'm not done learning!! It's great, really.

One thing that I was reminded of today in church, was a little interesting happening from one of the day sessions. During the worship at the beginning of the workshop, (in a room filled with a few hundred youth and leaders,) all eyes were averted from the words on the screen to one man. I don't know who he was, I didn't recognize him, but for the duration of the worship segment, all eyes followed him, simply because... he danced.

He jumped, he spun, and with no real technique or form, just skipped all around the open area surrounding the stage. He attempted some unsuccessful-looking break-dancing (I think) moves, he tried handstands and donkey kicks, pirouettes and leaps. People pulled out their iPods and phones, and began videoing the dancing man. I could hear murmurings and giggles all around, as the focus was riveted away from the worship, and to the present 'entertainment.' I kinda was laughing, sometimes i whispered to my friends, because basically... it was weird. Or so we thought.

Later that day, the topic of the 'funny dancing man' kept coming up. At first I went along, kind of laughing and agreeing that it was kind of weird. But after a while, I think God was prodding me to stop. And lately, I've been thinking of him often, and learning.

A friend of mine, I was talking to her a bit about him, and she must have been thinking along the same lines as I was. She reminded me about the story in the bible about King David, and how he danced like a madman in full view of everyone.

2 Samuel 6:14-16 ~

Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might,  

while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart. 

 and 2 Samuel 6:20-22~

When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul 

came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. 

I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

That story was a perfect example and reminder to me. That man was dancing before the Lord. He had his arms raised, he would close his eyes, and at times would just sway back and forth to the music. And looking back, I admire that! At first I thought, "Woah, okay. That's just weird, and embarrassing." But really, I was acting just like Michal.

There is a song we sometimes sing in chapel or at camp. It goes like this:

I will dance, I will sing,

to be mad for my King

Nothing, Lord, is hindering

this passion in my soul!

And I'll become

even more undignified than this!

Some might say it's foolishness,

but I'll become

even more undignified than this!

I would sing that song at the top of my lungs and follow the crazy, extreme, wild actions... with all my other friends. They were doing the same! I thought that I was portraying the perfect picture of being 'undignified' for my King, but who was I kidding? Everyone else was, too!

Dignity-- bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation.

Dignified -- characterized by dignity of manner or appearance

Undignified -- opposite of all the above. Lacking in dignity.

About the double entendre of the title, in case you missed that. Past impressions are the ways people recognize you and label you as. But this anonymous dancer from YC showed me that he was past those impressions. He understood that what people thought of him didn't matter. He knew that the impressions he was making on all these strangers would never, ever, ever compare to the undivided loyalty and commitment and love He expressed to His Father in heaven. I want to be past the past impressions.

So basically, that man showed me what it truly meant to be mad for our King. I sang that I would become even more undignified than this- and I believe it! I said I was prepared, but was I really? Watching that man dance and prance and remembering my first impressions, "He's weird," or, "I'm glad I'm not him," or, "That's embarrassing that everybody's watching him and laughing- doesn't he get the hint?" I realize how Michal-ist I was being. 

Why be so conservative when it comes to giving ourselves to God? Yes, people may be watching. Yes, they may be laughing and pointing. Yes, there may be whispers. But, God's smiling! When He saw David dancing with all his strength, He saw that David understood who was more important. He understood that his impression on Michal and the other servants paled in comparison to the devotion He showed to His beloved God. That's the kind of devotion I admire and aspire to... now, to make it happen.

Turn up the music, please!