Charles R. Swindoll's Blog, page 12
July 31, 2012
The Value of Obedience to God
For a moment, let’s pretend you work for me. We’re not in the pastorate. In fact, you are an executive in a company that is growing rapidly. I’m the owner and I’m interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel abroad and stay there until the new branch office gets established. I make all the arrangements to take my family in the move to Europe for six to eight months, and I leave you in charge of the busy stateside organization. I tell you that I will write you regularly and give you direction and instructions. I leave and you stay.
Months pass. A flow of letters from me are mailed from Europe and received by you at the national headquarters. In them I spell out all my expectations. Finally, I return. Soon after my arrival I drive down to the office. I am stunned! Grass and weeds have grown up high. A few windows along the street are broken. I walk into the receptionist’s room and she is doing her nails, chewing gum, and listening to her favorite rock station. I look around and notice the wastebaskets are overflowing, the carpet hasn’t been vacuumed for weeks, the rooms are cluttered and messy, and nobody seems concerned that the owner has returned. I ask about your whereabouts and someone in the crowded lounge area points down the hall and yells, “I think he’s down there.” Disturbed, I move in that direction and bump into you as you are finishing a chess game with our sales manager. I ask you to step into my office (which has been temporarily turned into a television room for watching afternoon soap operas).
“What in the world is going on, man?”
“What do you mean, Chuck?”
“Well, look at this place! Didn’t you get any of my letters?”
“Letters? Oh, yeah—sure, got every one of them. As a matter of fact, Chuck, we have had letter study every Friday night since you left. We have even divided all the personnel into small groups and discussed many of the things you wrote. Some of those things were really interesting. You’ll be pleased to know that a few of us have actually committed to memory some of your sentences and paragraphs. One or two memorized an entire letter! Great stuff in those letters!”
Sound a little familiar?
Jesus, the Lord, goes to the bottom line when He said, in effect, “I left you an example of what you should do—carry out my directions, fulfill my commands, follow my instructions.” That’s obedience. That’s doing what we are told to do.
—Chuck
July 24, 2012
The Strength of Serving Others
Jesus said a strong thing to Peter when He spoke these words: “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me” (John 13:8). Our Lord’s rebuke introduces a convicting observation: being a servant is not a sign of inner weakness, but of incredible strength.
There is no way to remove the jab and the twist from Christ’s words to Peter. He said, in effect, “If you do not allow Me to do this, that is it. You’re off the team!” Anybody who lives under the delusion that Christ was rather weak and spineless has overlooked such statements as this one. Being a servant in no way implies there will never be a confrontation or strong words shared with others . . . or tough love expressed.
The Lord may choose to use the reproof of a servant who has earned the right to be heard even more often than that of a type-A aggressive leader. It certainly worked with Peter. We know he got the message when he blurted out, in so many words, “Give me a bath!” No, that wasn’t necessary, only his feet.
After Jesus brought Peter’s overreaction back into balance, He sat down for a time of reflection and instruction among the men. “Do you know what I have done to you?” (John 13:13). What a strange question. Obviously, they knew what He had done. He had washed their feet! But He had much more in mind than the obvious—Jesus always does. He wanted them to think deeply, to learn something very insightful and valuable as an obedient servant. Look at what He told them.
“You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
(John 13:13–14)
He told them (and us) to wash one another’s feet. What an admonition! Now here’s the clincher, “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (John 13:15). Let’s read it in a much more popular way: “I gave you an example that you should study about it on Sundays.” No.
Or . . . “I gave you an example that you should form discussion groups and meditate on it.” No.
Or how about . . . “I gave you an example that you should memorize My words and repeat them often.” No.
Jesus said it plainly. “I gave you an example that you should do as I did to you.” He was looking for action, not a sermon outline.
—Chuck
