Graciously Serve

Sitting in my first gross anatomy class (gross as in macroscopic and not gross as in “Eww, yuck!”) at the age of 40, I knew I had made a mistake. How could I possibly remember all the information my professor expected me to retain in this foundational course for my Master of Science in Occupational Therapy? I faced the daunting task of memorizing the names, locations, and functions of hundreds of bodily structures and how they work together to allow people to do the things they need and want to do each day. While it was a difficult endeavor, my muddled thoughts soon turned to wonder as I discovered God’s awe-inspiring design for enabling the intricate parts of the human body to cooperate in precise and amazing ways. Of course, since the entry of sin, death, and disease into the world, parts don’t always function as they should. So, through the course of my studies, I also learned how people adapt, compensate, and work to restore lost abilities. Neurophysiology, probably my favorite class, taught me that something needs to direct all the other parts and that when communication is disrupted, chaos ensues. Digging into Scripture yields spiritual application from my late-night anatomy study sessions.

God was equally intentional in how He designed His spiritual body on earth, the church. The work of the body of Christ is fueled by the Holy Spirit as He produces the fruit of humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance required for faithful service (Ephesians 4:2-3). Ephesians 4:7 reveals that He not only produces fruit but also provides purpose and direction for each individual part of the body: “Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Ephesians 4:16 describes how parts are arranged for different functions: “From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.” The Apostle Paul elaborates further as he writes to churches in Galatia, Rome, and Colossae, teaching that diligent, specific, and thankful service as individuals collectively benefits all. While we each have a job, it’s really not all about us. It’s about following Christ who is the head directing the body.

Serve diligently. Paul says in Galatians 6:9-10, “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.” As we work for the good of all, how do we prepare ourselves for diligent spiritual service? I’ll suggest three starting points that correspond to our physical bodies: acknowledge fatigue, crave spiritual nourishment, and hydrate with Living Water.

Physical fatigue occurs when a body works hard and neglects adequate rest. Our all-wise God provides and commands sabbath rest because He anticipates our needs. He knows that we frequently fail to recognize our limits for fear of appearing weak. Accolades often come to those who work extra hours, push past the point of exhaustion, or burn the candle at both ends to accomplish goals and receive applause. Spiritual fatigue frequently coincides with physical fatigue; however, careful obedience to God’s command for sabbath rest helps us resist the temptation to showcase our own abilities and instead acknowledges our dependence on Him. He energizes us to work alongside our spiritual siblings for our good and His glory.

Our physical bodies also wear out when they don’t receive proper nutrients and the right kind of calories to fuel their work. Paul admonished believers in Hebrews 5:13-14 to feed on solid food rather than milk: “Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced about the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.” Increased responsibility and heftier workloads require higher quality nourishment. Milk works temporarily but will not sustain forever. As we serve the body, our souls become depleted and need consistent high-quality nourishment from the meat of God’s Word. This spiritually dense food helps us discern increasingly convoluted messages propagated by a culture that becomes more hostile every day to the truth claims of Christianity.

Water comprises around sixty percent of the human body. No adequate substitute exists for this essential component. Dehydration and weariness set in when we fail to replenish our H2O, and in fact, true medical emergencies occur if we neglect to drink enough water while exercising, laboring, or even sitting outside on a hot summer day. Just as the physical body needs water for rehydration, the spiritual body needs the Living Water found in Jesus alone. In John 4, Jesus unexpectedly speaks to a Samaritan woman as she draws water at a well in the middle of the day. Their discussion about physical water pivots to His offer of Living Water. Jesus says, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. But whoever drinks from the water that I give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water that I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.” (John 4:13-14) As believers, we have the same well of Living Water available today. We can only effectively work within the body of Christ as we quench our thirst with long and deep drinks from this well while serving as conduits for those around us who desperately need the Living Water Jesus offers.

Serve specifically. The average adult human body amazingly contains from twenty-eight to thirty-six trillion cells. That’s twelve zeroes! These cells are classified into approximately two hundred different types which then miraculously organize themselves into tissues, organs, and systems functioning together as one unique body. What a beautiful picture of the specific role each believer plays in the body of Christ! No one member has the same job. Not only that, but God designed us to mutually depend on each other as we carry out our specific part of His mission on earth. This mutual dependence requires humility as emphasized by Paul in Romans 12:3-5 when he writes, “For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.” Consider what happens when cells in the human body go rogue and pursue their own agendas rather than serve the body. These cells invade surrounding tissues and organs and prevent them from functioning properly. Sometimes they turn into benign growths that simply distract the other parts from their intended roles. Other times they become malignant, consume precious resources, and lead to life-threatening consequences. This is a good lesson for members of the body of Christ. We need to resist the cries of popular identity-driven ideologies that shout, “You do you!” and encourage us to cut off, cancel, or divide from parts of the body with whom we disagree. Rather, members of the body of Christ are instructed to humbly pursue the purposes for which God intended them, considering the needs of the whole without distracting from the mission or harming the body.

Serve thankfully. The heart, one of the body’s vital organs, pumps nutrient and oxygen-rich blood throughout over 60,000 miles of vessels in the human body. That’s more than twice the distance around the world! It’s impossible to maintain good physical health without a properly functioning heart. We find a parallel in the church when Paul writes Colossians 3:16-17, “Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Though not a Christian, the Roman philosopher Cicero is credited with saying, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” I believe both Scripture and this secular philosopher strike at the heart (pun intended) of what empowers us to be effective members of the body of Christ. Gratitude, circulating among individual believers, is the lifeblood of the church. As we obey the greatest commandment to love God and devote ourselves fully to Him, we can’t help but be grateful for who He is and what He has done for us. Out of our gratitude toward God flows the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) we need to fuel daily interaction with our fellow image bearers. This gratitude that circulates among and in us should permeate every area of our lives because for the Christian no division exists between secular and sacred. As Christ goes with us into every sphere of our lives, the inside-out beauty of the gospel will attract the world to the infinitely better solution the church offers to the problems in the world around us.

As fascinating as the human body is, the body of Christ is even more remarkable. God the Father, through the Holy Spirit, equips us to serve diligently, specifically, and thankfully alongside our spiritual siblings as we carry out His mission on earth and reflect the hope that only He provides. Maintaining a healthy spiritual body is more important now than ever before as we care for each other, reach out into the world, and share the gospel.

OK, Karen

“May I speak to the manager?” The now ubiquitous “Karen” meme probably brings the preceding phrase to mind when you hear my name. According to Wikipedia, being called a “Karen” is “a pejorative term used for a woman perceived to be entitled or demanding beyond the scope of what is considered appropriate or necessary.” Viral videos of “Karens” behaving badly have flooded the internet and vilified those who fall into the same demographic as me. There is also apparently a stereotypical “Karen” coiffure, which happens to look a lot like the way I style my hair. To be fair, many of the infamous “Karens” have been caught engaging in outrageous acts of defiance and over the top behavior.

My friends and family have had fun with this phenomenon, and I’m ok with it because they have invested time in getting to know me. They realize that I am not represented by the caricature of what my name has come to mean. The culture at large, however, has no problem invoking what happens to be my name with ever increasing mean-spiritedness. It is more than a little annoying, but one positive outcome is that it has caused me to reflect on the value of a name. Proverbs 22:1 says “A good name is to be chosen over great wealth; favor is better than silver and gold.”

I am quite sure when my parents named me in the late sixties, they had no idea of the havoc that would be wreaked by “Karens” in 2020. When my husband and I named our sons, we went to great lengths to ensure that their names were both meaningful and appropriate to the times. We chose to give them contemporary first names that would easily identify them with their generation, and traditional middle names that would carry on the family heritage. We also considered whether or not their names could be twisted into cruel nicknames by playground bullies, or if their initials could be used as unintended acronyms. We placed value in calling them by their given names, rather than resorting to nicknames, to avoid a struggle my husband has dealt with his whole life. We gave them their names with the expectation that they would wear them proudly and represent our family well as they went out into the world.

Scripture emphasizes the importance that a name carries. The first job assigned to Adam was to name the animals. God Himself changed the names of His people to mark turning points in their lives. Abram became Abraham as a reminder that He would be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:5). Sarai became Sarah to indicate her role as a princess from whom kings would come (Genesis 17:15). Jacob became Israel to commemorate his struggle with God (Genesis 32:28). Saul became Paul as a reminder of God’s transforming power in his life (Acts 13:9). Names also often conveyed something about the person. Jacob’s firstborn twin son was named Esau because he was red and hairy. His second born Jacob was so named because he “grabbed the heel” of his older brother at birth. Moses, the leader of the Exodus out of Egypt, was named for the fact that he was “drawn out of the water.” Names are meaningful in scripture.

Our names are valuable to us, so we go to great lengths to protect our reputations and uphold “our good names.” How much more carefully then should we handle God’s name? Because His name is closely associated with His character, we malign God’s name not only when we use it as an expletive, but also when we reduce Him to a caricature of who He truly is. God’s name and character should be as zealously defended as our own names.

While we can never comprehend God completely, a journey through scripture reveals how His names paint an ever expanding portrait of His character. Consider just a few of these names, and think about how we might guard His name better within our culture. El Elyon, the most high God, is worthy of our worship. While voices around us say that with enough introspection we can be our own gods, we know that only in Him do we find the satisfaction our souls long for. El Shaddai, the LORD God Almighty, is our Sovereign who rules unwaveringly over His creation. The world may shout that God is dead, but we can be confident that He maintains control despite the chaos spinning all around us. Jehovah Shalom, the LORD Our Peace, is not a cosmic bully waiting to dole out punishment when we slip up. Instead He demonstrates perfectly righteous anger toward sin, and provides gracious reconciliation for all who accept His gift of salvation. Jehovah Jireh, the LORD who provides, cannot be reduced to a mere genie in a lamp. He owes us nothing, yet He lovingly chooses to pour out blessings for our good and His glory as He sees fit. I am thankful that I can draw closer to my Creator through these names, and dozens more, that He reveals in His Word.

Thankfully, I don’t find my identity in a hashtag, meme, or viral video. No matter how others may misuse my given name, God has given me an identity in Christ that cannot be changed or corrupted. When I accepted by grace through faith the free gift of salvation, Jesus exchanged my sin for His righteousness. I was reconciled to God, adopted into His family, and now identify with Him. It’s up to me to consider daily if I am representing God accurately to the world, or giving those I encounter a distorted view of Him. Just as my children identify with the names they were given as members of our family, I identify with Christ and carry His name with me wherever I go. As I go, I do so with the realization that I don’t need to speak to any earthly manager. I have an abiding relationship with the ruler of the universe, and that is more than enough for me.

Give Thanks for Goodness’ Sake

Why do I give thanks? While there are many things, people, and circumstances for which I am thankful, 1 Chronicles 16:34 provides the most essential reason of all when the author declares, “Give thanks to the LORD for He is good…” So why should we express gratitude for God’s goodness above anything else? Simply because God’s goodness is the foundational attribute underlying all other things for which we give thanks. A.W. Tozer explains in The Knowledge of the Holy, “The goodness of God is the drive behind all the blessings He daily bestows upon us. God created us because He felt good in His heart and He redeemed us for the same reason.” We would enjoy no other gifts, relationships, or experiences if God were not first of all good. Because of God’s goodness, I am comforted and not fearful of the remarkable power He wields over all of creation. I am encouraged rather than uneasy at His intimate knowledge of my every thought.

What does it mean to say that God is good? The Psalmist proclaims in Psalm 16:2, “I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’” Goodness itself cannot be defined without first looking to God. All that He says, does, and is reflects His goodness. Tracing the movement of His hand throughout history reveals a picture of His good plan and redemptive story that began unfolding at the first sinful act of man. I heard it said recently that the Christian faith is unique because we worship a God who, because of His goodness, became the solution to mankind’s biggest problem. No other religion offers a deity who embodies that kind of self-sacrificial goodness. He was under no obligation to offer Himself up for us, except that He was compelled by His kindness and benevolent nature to do so.

Even creation itself reveals His goodness as He generously surrounds us with amazing treasures that delight our senses and leave us in awe of our Creator. He thrills us with the brilliance of the starry heavens that span across the horizon as far as our eyes can see. He lavishes us with the refreshing fragrance of the rain following an unexpected summer storm. He provides the sweetness of a freshly picked piece of fruit to satisfy our hunger. He entertains us with the melodious songs of birds to awaken us in the morning. He shines the luminescent glow of the sun on our faces to remind us of the warmth of His love. Only a good God would do such things.

Psalm 34:8 instructs us to “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” Goodness is not just a descriptor of how He is; it’s who He is. As humans who reflect the image of God, we can be good for a time, but our imperfect nature eventually claws its way to the surface. In contrast, God is only ever good. God is good because that’s who He is. I am sometimes good because of His Holy Spirit living in me. I can be a good parent for a while, but eventually I’ll lose my temper over some act of childish misbehavior. I can be a good friend temporarily, but at some point I’ll respond selfishly and let my closest companions down. I can be a good citizen for a time, until I’m cut off in traffic or beaten in line for some awesomely amazing Black Friday deal! I can be a good wife for the short term, but I’ll inevitably say something unkind at the end of a stressful day. A.W. Tozer continues in The Knowledge of the Holy, “Divine goodness, as one of God’s attributes, is self-caused, infinite, perfect, and eternal. Since God is immutable He never varies in the intensity of His loving-kindness. He has never been kinder than He now is, nor will He ever be less kind.” What a comforting thought to know that He is so unlike me, and is always only good!

Psalms 23:6 says, “Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD as long as I live.” God’s goodness compels Him to pursue me, allowing me to reap the benefits of a life lived in relationship with Him. His pursuit of me has been relentless no matter where my spiritual journey has taken me. Sometimes He quietly tiptoes up behind me, astonishing me with some extravagant, over-the-top act of goodness. Other times He’s the Good Shepherd who sees me wandering aimlessly into danger and brings me back into the fold for my own protection. At all times He’s my patient Heavenly Father who cradles my hand in His and guides me along the good path. Where else can we find that kind of goodness except in our God?

Because I am confident that God is always only good, I can be thankful no matter the circumstance. On both dreadfully dark nights and breathtakingly bright days I know that I have a Heavenly Father working His good purposes in my life (Romans 8:28). I’m thankful for each breath I breathe, but I know that even if I never drew another breath, God would still be good. I’m thankful for the roof over my head, but I know that if it were to disastrously disappear, God would still be good. I’m thankful for my daily provision of food, but I know that I don’t live by bread alone, and if I were to go hungry, God would still be good. I’m also thankful for my family, my church, my job, my friends, and all things big and small that God provides on a moment by moment, hour by hour, and day by day basis. Apart from all that, however, is God’s goodness. We cannot truly appreciate the good gifts we receive from God’s hand without first understanding how He Himself is good, and giving thanks for that above all.