The idea of duty is simple. We all have a job to do in life. Duty is the recognition that we all have a responsibility to God and others. Duty is daily performing unselfish acts, whether great or small, that bless others and make the world a better place to live. Duty is working hard six days a week and resting one. Duty is taking care of family, teaching children, caring for the sick and dying. Duty is having a servant’s heart, taking pride in everything you do, and doing it to the best of our ability. Luke 17:10 says, “In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we’ve only done our duty.’” As we continue our GROW series, let’s look at four attitudes we all must have if we are going to do our duty as Christian servants.
No Personal Rights
The world says, “Demand your rights.” People feel entitled. They think they deserve better. We have to get rid of an entitlement attitude. Anything we get that is a notch above hell is better than we deserve. Let’s look at Luke 17:10 in context. The passage begins, “He said to his disciples, “Offenses will certainly come… And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him’” (Lk. 17:1, 4). Offences will come and forgiveness is not optional. As Christians, we don’t have a right to disobey God. This means we don’t have a right to not love our enemies, to hold a grudge and not forgive, to lose our temper, or to be selfish. The only time we disagree or lose our temper with others is when we don’t get our way. The world says everyone has a right to their opinion, but the Word says that we are to have the mind of Christ. God’s way is that we get by giving, become first by being last, and become somebody by humbling ourselves.
No Personal Limits
The passage continues, “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ ‘If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,’ the Lord said, ‘you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you’” (v. 5-6). Have you ever said, “Well, after all, we are only human”? This is true, but when you trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of you. The same power that raised Jesus from the grave lives inside of you! We can do all things through Christ. Anything is possible when God gets on your life. God does not call the equipped, He equips the called! You can do anything that God calls you to do. Stop trying to do what YOU want to do with your life and find out what GOD wants to do with your life! Submit to God and say, “I know I don’t have any personal rights. I am your servant and will do my duty, whatever you call me to do.” That is when you will experience no personal limits.
No Personal Praise
If we are all servants, it does not matter who gets the credit as long as God gets all the glory. Do you ever feel taken for granted? How do you react when people don’t brag on you or when no one notices? You can’t hurt a dead man’s feelings. The Bible says we are dead to self/sin. When Jesus died, we died. When He was buried, we were buried. When He arose, we arose. We are to be dead to self and alive to Christ! If you do what you do for the praise of man, you have your reward. Live for the approval of God more than the praise of man. Don’t expect to be praised or complimented for doing your duty. That would be like expecting a thank you card from the IRS for paying your taxes! It is your duty.
No Personal Sacrifice
God owns it all. We are just managers of what He gives us. It is not called sacrifice but obedience. The Bible says that to obey is better than sacrifice. I can sacrifice for you and you for me, but we can’t sacrifice for God. We can’t out-give God. What are you going to give that God did not first give to you? None of us can say, “Look what I did” for God. If God told us to do it, it was our duty.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Have you surrendered yourself and reported to the Lord for duty?
