Who Are You Serving?

Who Are You Serving

2 Samuel 15:15

Here we read about the loyalty of David’s servants. Absalom (David’s own son) was starting an up an uprising against David. Absalom apparently resented being ignored by his father and resented his brother Ammon going unpunished for the raping Tamar. Absalom had the favor of the men of Israel, in verse 6, “So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

So with you knowing a little of the history now, you can better understand the commitment of David’s servants. By them saying we will do whatever you want, it could mean their very life.

We all in some way serve someone in some way or another.

Some might feel like they serve their work. They are the one’s who put forth the effort to make sure the job gets done. Others may feel like they serve their family, whither it be their spouse or their children. Some even will go through great measures in serving the church. But if they are serving the just the church, then that is wrong. We are to serve God and not the church.

So how do we know that we are serving God? When do we know that we have the commitment like the servants of David that we can say, “We are your servants, ready to do what ever You ask”.

Here are four things to look for and see if you are serving God properly.

You will serve even though you will not always get the credit for what you do.

1 Samuel 14:6-7, 11-14, and 45

(Vs.6-7) Here we find Jonathan and this no name armor bearer. Now this armor bearer is never called by a name, other than an armor bearer. That would be like some one asking us to do something by saying, “Hey you”. We all have a name. And people like to be called by their name. But when asked, what was the response of this no-name armor bearer?

1 Samuel 14:7, So his armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart: Go then; here I am with you according to your heart.”

This is a sign from a no name servant.

(Vs.11-14) Here we find Jonathan and his armor bearer climbing up the mountain literally on their hands and knees to do battle. Now it must have been a steep mountain to have to craw up like that, and if it was that hard for Jonathan to climb, can you imagine how much harder it was for the armor bearer with all that extra weight.

Never do we read where he complained about the carrying or the fighting. We read in verse 13 that as they came after Jonathan, it was the armor bearer who did the killing but who got the credit?

(Vs.45) Not the armor bearer, Jonathan did.

So to be the proper kind of servant we need to remember that while others might not know or give you the credit, God will not forget the work you do for Him.

The next way you know that you are serving God properly is…

You will serve even when people complain about you

There was an elderly man whose hearing had gone so bad that he was nearly deaf. His family had encouraged him to get a hearing aid, but in his stubbornness he refused to do so. One day he on his own free will went to the Dr. and received his hearing aids. Upon his third visit to his attorney, his lawyer asked him if there was any particular reason that he wanted to change his will for the third time this month. He explained that he had received his new hearing aids and it had a great effect on him. The attorney asked if there was some kind of argument with his family for him receiving the hearing aids. His reply was no, not at all. They didn’t even know that he had gotten them.

Exodus 32:1-5, and 21-24

(Vs. 1-5) Here the children of Israel had lost their patients with God and Moses because of his delay in the mountain. So they began to complain that they were tired of waiting on Moses, so give them some gods to worship. So Aaron made a golden calf, this is what they had worshipped in Egypt as a representation of Baal.

(Vs.21-24) Moses turned to Aaron and wanted to know how this wicked thing happened and Aaron blamed it on the people complaining instead of his own wickedness for doing this sin.

If there is anything that I have learned in my first few years of being a pastor, you can’t please everyone. Sing out of the red book; no sing the oldies out of the blue. I prefer this translation of the Bible, I want the King James only, It’s too hot in here, it’s to cold. The list goes on and on.