Obedience as the Baseline

Scripture: So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' Luke 17:10

Observation: As Jesus tells several parables, he includes this one about a servant who works all day, and what happens next. Jesus points out that the master will not then sit and eat with the servant, but instead will have the servant serve him dinner. In other words, the servant's job is to serve, and therefore doesn't earn special treatment by doing his job. The servant is to serve, and isn't praised just because he does so.

Jesus tells this in the context of other stories about basic faith. Their meaning seems to be that of paying attention to the law and the prophets, and to Jesus' teaching himself. Faithful believers are to love and serve the Lord. Doing so does not earn you special praise, but rather it is the baseline measure that demonstrates your faith ... doing what has been instructed by God himself, through Moses, Jesus, and all the prophets, simply shows you indeed have the minimal faith of a mustard seed.

Application: Obeying Jesus is the most basic element of acknowledging Jesus' lordship in our lives. It is by obedience that I can claim I have faith, for if I have faith that Jesus is in fact the Lord of all the earth then of course I would do what he says. My recent thoughts are about this ... ensuring alignment in my daily activity to the instruction of Jesus. I don't succeed all the time, but I am making progress. With God's help, that will continue. I have faith in Jesus as my Lord and savior, and he therefore has authority over my life.

Prayer: Lord, this day I strive to take captive of my thoughts and actions. Please forgive my sins, for I am a human who struggles, and I can only be saved through your love and not my actions. Even so, may my actions today glorify you in some small way. Amen.