Serving Others in Service of God

“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”

Colossians 3:18-4:1 ESV

 

Even if we believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, and even if we believe that God’s Word is infallible, there are still passages that we can find difficult. In fact, there are passages that make us struggle and cause us to cringe. In short, even knowing that it’s the Word of God, we have a hard time receiving it as such.

 

I think we can all agree that the above passage is one of them. It addresses some rather touchy subjects. The truths it delivers are not politically correct today. And we often want nothing more than to ignore or to explain them away.

 

Wives are called to submit to their husband. They’re called to subject or to subordinate themselves to their husband. Husbands are called to love their wives and not be harsh with them. They’re to love their wife with a Christlike love, seeking to bless their wife at their own expense. Children are called to obey their parents. Bondservants are called to do the same with their master. And masters are to treat their bondservants justly and fairly.

 

We’re called to do so not only by way of eye service. We’re to do so not only when we’re being watched.  And we’re to do so not only as people-pleasers. We’re called to do so with sincerity of heart. In other words, we’re not only to go through the motions. We’re to gladly and willingly embrace our vocation.

 

We’re to do so, fearing the Lord. These are instructions that have been given to us by none other than God himself. And by refusing to live as we’ve been called is sinful in the eyes of God.

 

This, you see, is precisely the rub. Even knowing the command of God, we don’t feel that our husband is fit to place ourselves under. Even knowing the command of God, we don’t feel that our wife is deserving of love. Even knowing the command of God, we don’t feel that our parents deserve our obedience. Even knowing the command of God, we don’t feel that our masters are deserving of obedience. And even knowing the command of God, we don’t feel that our servants deserve fairness.

 

As we deal with this internal struggle, we must bear in mind who it is that we are serving. Sure, it’s true that we’re serving these people. But, ultimately, we’re serving the Lord.

 

Therefore, we’re to do all things as for the Lord. We’re to do them in his service. We’re to obey God’s call for his sake.

 

We’re to do so, even when it’s hard. We’re to do so even when it seems that there’s nothing in it for us. And we’re to do so because we know the source of our reward.

 

We’re to do so knowing that, even if we receive the appreciation of those whom we serve, it’s from the Lord that we’ll receive the inheritance as a reward. We’re to do so knowing that our reward isn’t given to us by man. We’re to do so knowing that from the Lord we’ll receive salvation.

 

And we can do so even if our circumstances are not ideal. We can do so having confidence that God is the judge. We can do so knowing that he will hold the wrongdoer to account. And we can do so knowing that his judgment is equitable.