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Servility pertains to servants and service. Most of us have some preconceived notions about servants. May this study teach us valuable
lessons about servants which will enable us to form constructive views about the position. Hopefully we shall be able to rejoice in the fact
that the Bible depicts the saved as servants of God.
When people think of a servant they generally think of someone who is very poor and who is hired to do menial work. Unfortunately, in our
society such a person is generally looked down upon. There seems to be a stigma associated with the word servant; however, some servants
are better off than we are, such as the servants of an extremely wealthy person. Although it is difficult for most of us to comprehend such
immense wealth and the luxury associated with it, there are people in the world today whose worth is valued at several hundred million dollars.
They travel in the finest vehicles, stay in the most luxurious suites, and dine in the most elegant restaurants. They are constantly surrounded
with the finest that money can buy in houses, clothes, and cars.
Now consider the servants who work for such individuals. Think of a valet who travels with a wealthy man and takes care of his
clothing. He would enjoy the finest of accomodations and "live in the lap of luxury" each day. Think of the women who are employed
as maids in these homes, surrounded by the latest appliances, the finest furniture, priceless art, and comfort at its grandest level. They enjoy
more benefits of wealth as servants than most people can ever imagine. When we think of servants like these, the position of a servant doesn't
seem so bad, does it?
The servants described above were referred to in the Bible as hired servants. Such servants provided various services in the home of the
prodigal son, as recorded in Luke 15:17.He said, "...How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare..." Th~se who
served in his house evidently enjoyed the prosperity and wealth of his father, yet the son had chosen to be a servant to hogs rather than
a master at home. Most of us cannot understand why he made such a foolish choice, yet many of God's children are doing the same thing
today. They prefer to exhaust their energies on the decaying and disappearing pleasures of this world rather than to serve God and
enjoy the benefits that come from serving the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Remember that "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness
thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (Ps. 24:1). Is it better to independently serve our own interests or to serve God and enjoy
the luxuries of the soul as well as blessings for the body?
Thus far we have considered the hired servant, but the word servant as used in the Bible usually denotes a slave. When Jesus said,
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and. love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Mt. 6:24), He was talking about a servant who is a slave. We cannot be a slave to God and a slave
to money, for they are opposites. We may respond as did some ancient Jews who denied their bondage to any man Oohn 8:33) but were in
fact under the authority of Rome. Many today boast of their independence, yet they are in mental bonda~ to drugs, alcohol, tobacco,
or the lure of wealth. I would rather be in bondage to Jesus than to anything or anyone I know.
The word slave expresses the idea of ownership of a servant. A hired servant is someone who is employed by another, but the slave
belongs to the master whom he serves. The frequent injustices and cruelties of men to their slaveshave made us despise the idea. Whether
or not we like the idea, the fact is that we are slaves (servants) to God because we belong to Him. Paul said, "What? know ye not that
your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with
a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (l Cor. 6:19-20).
Like many other concepts, slavery is both good and bad depending upon the circumstances. It is bad if the slave has an evil master,
but it is wonderful when your Master is the essence and presence of good - God. We should be eternally grateful that God bought us from
the evil task master (Satan) and made us not only servants, but also sons. Like the prodigal son, we are son-servants. We serve, but we
also have an inheritance. "...And if children, then heirs: heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christj if so be that we suffer with him, that we
may be also glorified together" (Rom. 8: 17).He bought us and made us royal servants (l Peter 2:9), but He also calls us friends. I count
it a happy privilege to be a slave to God, and it is good to engage in His service.
How blessed to be called servants of God. Of Paul and others it was said, "...These men are the servants of the most high God, which
shew unto us the way of salvation" (Acts 16:17). Paul even acknowledged his servitude by referring to himself as "Paul, a servant
of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God ..." (Rom. 1:1).Jude introduced himself as "Jude, the servant
ofJesus Christ..." (Jude 1).Have you yet recognizedthis about yourself? Have you thought in terms of the ownership of God and yourself
as His slave-servant? If you have not, you should. Just as an alcoholic must recognize what he is before he can improve his condition, so
must we recognize in our hearts that we are servants of God before we can become serious about the duties of service.
Strangely enough, Jesus even described Himself as a servant. Notice these words of Christ, "For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat,
or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth" (Luke 22:27). He came to this earth to serve
His Father by doing His will in the work of salvation (John 6:38), and He came to serve us by taking away our sins on the C"ossof death
(l Peter 2:24).He said that He is our example (John 13:15)and showed Himself the perfect servant by washing the disciples' feet as symbolic
of the total cleaning by His blood. Then He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lordj neither he that
is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (John 13:16-17).Joy is found in our willingness
to serve, and happiness comes by performing acts of service to God.
My friends, we are not under the heartless rule of the Pharaoh who increased the already burdened existence of the Jews in Egyptj we
are under the loving and gracious care of God. When God broke the bondage of Egypt, it opened the door of service to Him. God said
to Pharaoh, " ... Let my people go, that they may serve me" (Ex. 8:1). Even so, we have been set free from the bondage of sin and Satan
and are now free to serve God (l Peter 2: 16). If you are mostly interested in yourself, it is very unlikely that you are truly serving
God. To serve God requires that we be primarily concerned with His will and seek to please Him in all that we do. Since God is such a
wonderful Master, we can rest assured that He will take care of us in a most excellent way! May we submit to God as did one of the
kings ofIsrael who said, ' ...My Lord, 0 King, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have" (l Kings 20:4).
In conclusion, remember that if you are saved you are a slave and Jesus is your Master Oohn 13: 13). If you can truthfully declare your
love for Him, then you will truly experience gladness in His service (Ps. 100:2). Are you serving Him as you should? If you are not, why
not? How would you feel about a servant who showed no more loyalty and devotion to you than you do to God? How do you think God
feels about your service? Let us serve God as Paul advised, " ...Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing
the will of God from the heart..." (Eph. 6:6). He has done so much for you, you know that He deserves better from you; so serve Him
faithfully and glorify Him as your Master.
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