Serve Where You Are

Contentment is a wonderful attitude to maintain. At the same time, lethargy is a curse. Lethargy means “I do not care, whatever happens, is okay.” We somehow have to get into balance the idea of aggressiveness and contentment.

What we really need is to capture the thought, Be all you can be where you are. Few people, if any, live up to their potential. Psychologists tell us we use only a small percentage of our brain capacity.

Our brains are a mystery in a measure. We know that how we think controls how we act. And what is even more awesome is we can control our thought patterns. We have the ability to turn off unwanted thoughts and pursue upbuilding thoughts.

In this chapter, I hope to help you assess where you are and what to do about your situation so that you can SERVE WHERE YOU ARE. This means someone outside of you will likely be in control. But think about this carefully. Let’s focus in on I Corinthians 7:17-24:

17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called everyone, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

22 For he that is called in the Lord, [being] a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.

23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

To help you Serve Where You Are, I bring you several OBSERVATIONS to encourage you in your service.

First, I observe that the calling comes by:

17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called everyone, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.2

The clause “God hath distributed to every man” tells me that basic ability is inherent in our personalities. We probably all have some native abilities we may have yet not discovered. I’ve seen that, especially in artists. Every basic ability can be developed. It can be made better.

Today in Christian circles we often talk about how to discern our gift. Now it is true a person trying to serve in a position for which he is not gifted is a sorry misfit. We sometimes refer to such a situation as a square peg in a round hole. The object simply does not fit the situation!

The apostle uses the illustration of circumcision to make his point. In the early church circumcision was a problem. Acts 15 details a church gathering to decide whether the Gentiles who were not circumcised would need to undergo circumcision to become Christians. The Jews had practiced this from the time of Abraham as a symbol of belonging to the community or covenant of God. So it was a very important point to consider.

But the apostle says, “If you are called being circumcised,” do not try to be uncircumcised. If you are called in uncircumcision, do not try to be circumcised. He said, “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.” So observe that calling comes from God. God has distributed to everyone, so Serve Where You Are.

Second, I observe that the call requires:

20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

22 For he that is called in the Lord, [being] a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.

Here is where contentment comes in. How many have wasted their lives by fussing about where they are? They did not want to be where they are. They wanted to be somewhere else. They looked sometimes with envy on another person, believing they could do the job much better. So they troubled themselves with discontent. Paul says that where you are, abide there and serve the Lord.

The apostle uses slavery as an example. Slavery was widely practiced in Paul’s day. And he is telling the slave to be the very best slave he can possibly be. Be what you ought to be where you are.

The Old Testament prophet Daniel was among the children of Judah carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar, the king from Babylon. Daniel was made a eunuch. His masculinity was spoiled. He was to serve Nebuchadnezzar and became the most faithful of his servants. Though a slave, Daniel served well, never compromising his faith in God at any point. In fact, Nebuchadnezzar came to depend on Daniel very much. Nebuchadnezzar’ssuccessors highly-regarded Daniel; for example, Darius put Daniel in charge of his whole kingdom. So be the very best servant possible. Daniel was a slave, but he served well.3

As Christians, we also ought to be loyal to our Master. Our first loyalty is to Jesus. Paul points that out. If you are called as a servant, then be a good servant. But we are to think in terms of being the servant of Jesus. Paul said, “If you are called as a slave, then be Christ’s freeman. If you are called as a freeman, then be Christ’s servant.” The whole focus we face up to is Jesus. We are to be freemen and slaves of Jesus. So our contribution is first and last to Jesus, first and foremost to Jesus. We are His freeman and His servant. That is our contribution.

Third, I observe the call demands:

23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

The apostle says, “Ye are bought with a price.” The death of Jesus on the cross is that price. Sometimes I think we are too far removed from it. If it was not so long ago, perhaps it would make a deeper impression on us. Matthew’s Gospel records the crucifixion. I want you to try to put yourself there. Be as close as you can possibly be in your mind.

Ponder carefully God’s Word in Matthew 27:33-50:

And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall; and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

My friend, that is the price. Oh, what we owe Him! It calls for personal retribution. Much more than material things, it calls for a yielded heart! He paid a debt He did not owe because I had a debt I could not pay. We are bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus.

Paul calls to us today. Weigh carefully the price Jesus paid. Now, what have you done for Him? That is where the retribution comes in, the pay back. Our retribution must be our all!

Friend, I have assumed you are a Christian. If you are not, then your first step is to receive Jesus as your Saviour. Confess your sins. Do as the Ethiopian did. He said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37). You do that too!

I urge you to recognize God’s gift to you.

It is by

And it involves

Based on

When these are in order, I affirm you can Serve Where You Are.