Becoming a Servant for His Glory: A 5-Day Devotional by Dr. Miguel NunezНамуна

DAY 3: Before You Serve, You Must Heal and Grow

The Bible goes into great detail concerning how Adam's fall profoundly impacted the integrity of God's image in man. Our mind was darkened; our hearts were hardened, and our wills were enslaved. However, the Bible does not make a calculation of how every fallen family unit affects the development of each of the members within that family unit. 

Some members were abandoned by parents who did not assume their responsibilities as parents. Others were raped by relatives or acquaintances. Some were bullied, mocked, or rejected; and others were even physically abused. This has been true in the case of many wives and children. Knowing that the world is made up of millions of families, we could speak about millions of these kinds of situations throughout history and across continents.

This makes it clear that before we can serve the family of God, He must do a work of healing and growth within us. The Bible calls this work "sanctification." Our purpose is not, nor could it be, to present a therapeutic alternative to the problems we just mentioned. Rather, it is to raise awareness that, on the one hand, when it comes to serving, we need evidence that we have really matured enough to be able to carry out the job that we have been called to do. If someone is not ready to manage his own world, he will be much less ready to direct the world of others around him. 

Let us not fool ourselves. The apostle Peter and the other apostles thought they were ready to drink of the cup that the Lord Jesus would drink, and only a few short hours later, they abandoned Him. The Master's death and resurrection were two events that served to ultimately prepare them for the ministry ahead.

The best evidence of the need for growth in the Christian before beginning to do anything for God is found in both of Paul's letters to the Corinthian Church. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul confronts these brothers and sisters because even though they were believers, he could not speak to them as mature believers but as immature children or individuals who were still of the world. Paul equates these two things: people of the flesh and children. When he speaks of children, he is referring more to immaturity than to innocence. Their emotional and spiritual immaturity made them react in the flesh, as if they were still unbelievers. 

In the same epistle, Paul leads them to understand that none of us has sufficient reason or status to be proud, because we are mere servants of Christ. Ultimately, neither Apollos, nor Paul, nor we are anything. This is a mature way of looking at life, so that tomorrow, when our brother or sister who possesses a gift and a talent is recognized and commended at Church, let us not be jealous of him or condemn him. Let us not be envious of him or judge him. This is all part of God's plan for His Church. Let us applaud our brother or sister to whom God has given something special.