Compassionate Living

"If I have not compassion on my fellowservant, even as my Lord had pity on me, then I know nothing of Calvary love." --Amy Carmichael

Who is my fellowservant?  Is it like defining what Jesus meant when He said "love your neighbor"?  After looking up "fellow" in the concordance of my Bible, I see a link between all the places it refers to fellows... from servants to workers and citizens.  Fellow must mean everyone around me.  And, of course, servant probably means what it says.  People who serve.  Though, does it mean I have to include everyone, or just those I think are actually serving?  Okay, let's be exclusive and say that it is only within the church... your church.  It excludes all those other people who don't know Christ and His commandments to serve and even all those other churches you don't attend.  But what we have left is still quite a few people.

Do you always love and enjoy the people in your church?  Do you always agree?  Do you feel that they appreciate you?  Do you think they are doing the best they can for the Lord or are they just slacking?  Is there just that person who rubs you the wrong way and you just can't seem to bond?  And is it your place to judge?  There are so many people in the church.  Not all of them can be as kind and gentle, service-oriented and humble, nor have such a winning personality as myself.

With all I see (or judge), is my opinion valid?  Should I not have "my rights"?  It doesn't even necessarily have to be a sin issue, but, as we hear in the entertainment industry "Creative Differences".  I think the apostle Paul had the right attitude.  In 1 Corinthians 9, he is talking about serving all men in whatever state he finds them.  To the rich, poor, servant and master, Jews or gentiles, mature or immature, he has "become all things to all men."  Now, just so you know, this is not talking about service within the church, but ministry for the sake of preaching the gospel so others might be saved.  But I do believe that we can take that attitude and apply it within the church also because didn't we all used to be unsaved, too?  We are still the people we were, merely with the covering of God's grace in our lives.  We still have our sinful nature and sometimes we are not as holy in God's house as we ought to be.

It doesn't matter if someone looks down on me because I don't feel my calling is in teaching children's Sunday School.  I know my gifts and talents.  As long as I am using them for His glory, it doesn't matter what anyone else says to me.  If they say something offensive to me, I can forgive them.  Because I was also forgiven.  Are you going to allow one bad attitude to become a divisive influence in the church or are you going to sweetly let it go because in the grand scheme of God's plan for His bride, the church, it really doesn't matter a one bit whether you bake cakes or clean the church during the week.  God created each person to have a function.  Are you performing yours?

If you are living your life in a way that showcases God, glory in the fact that your fellow servant is doing the same and realize that you are both equals in the sight of Him who created you.  Let all the spiteful judgements go and keep doing  your best to live at peace with all.

Until next time, use your gifts.  Be content with how God made you.  And have compassion.