Friday, October 31, 2014

Who will be #1 in Heaven? Part 1

How would you like to be the greatest person in heaven? Before you blurt out "No!" (due to your great humility), let's find the answer in Scripture. It’s not wrong to want to be great—but it needs to be in the next life. Jesus told us how to be #1 in eternity, “Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all” (Mark 10:44-45).

If Jesus had told us how to great in this world—how to be a famous actor, a rock star, or a successful athlete—everyone would be scrambling to follow His instructions. But when He tells us the secret of being great forever, we don’t listen to His advice. We don’t care about what will happen in eternity because it seems too far away. But to those who wisely listen, the key to being promoted in the next life will be determined by how well we served in this life. Here are some qualifications for being a “servant of all.”

1. A servant of all has a heart of humility. Servanthood requires humility. Proud servants don’t exist in God’s kingdom. “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). A humble person cannot be humiliated, no matter how undignified the job may be. Elisabeth Elliot said, “The best way to find out whether or not you really have a servant’s heart is to see what your reaction is when somebody treats you like one.”

2. A servant of all will cheerfully serve in every job. Being a servant of all doesn’t mean you have to quit your profession and take a minimum wage job. Some people serve in lowly positions but still have a proud heart, while others serve God in high positions with a humble servant’s heart. You can have a servant’s heart even if you are a CEO or President of the United States, but you will also cheerfully serve in menial tasks as well.

3. A servant of all always views God as the boss. The apostle Paul said, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord, rather from men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” (Col. 3:23-24) If you are a servant of all, you will always do your work to please the Lord. God promises to reward you in the next life for your cheerful service.
To be continued…
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