A Humble Servant

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For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:2

Focus on Christ 

Have you ever felt overwhelmed at the vast amount of information found in the Bible? There are so many different facets of Scripture that people can learn, but there is only one way in which to seek the Heart of God: through Jesus Christ.

It is sad to witness Christians arguing about the truth of God’s Word. It is also sad to witness anyone misinterpreting the truth of God’s Word. The problem is that most people do not seek the Spirit of God for direction and interpretation. It is only through Jesus Christ that one may find the Spirit. Many claim to know the Gospel but spend very little time developing in an understanding of what the Gospel means for their lives. 

Paul was well-versed in Scripture and raised by religion. But when he addressed the church of Corinth, he said: “I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” He didn’t come to the church to show off his speaking skills or all that he knew. Paul came to share the Gospel. Only the Spirit of God could provide the humility that Paul needed to deny self and elevate Christ. 

The Scripture reveals this same humility in Joseph. While Joseph was in prison, two men also in prison had dreams. These dreams troubled the prisoners. When Joseph recognized they were troubled, he asked, “‘Why do you look so sad today?’ And they said to him, ‘We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.’ So Joseph said to them, ‘Do not interpretations belong to God?’ ” (Genesis 40:7-8). Then, Joseph interpreted their dreams. Later, he interpreted the Pharaoh’s dream, and Pharaoh promoted him to governor of Egypt. Like Paul, Joseph exalted God and not himself. He didn’t take credit for the interpretation of dreams. He knew it was from God. This quality of humility only comes from the Spirit of God. 

Just as the interpretation of dreams came from God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ also came from God. Why, then, do so many Christians choose to move away from the story of the Gospel and focus on other forms of knowledge? It is because of the spirit of pride. Pride drives a person to seek recognition for what he knows. But this is not the call of God to Christians. The call of God to Christians is to share the story of the Gospel of Christ which will only happen with the Spirit of humility. The only salvation that any person can obtain is the salvation through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. 

Focus on Self 

Self is proud of its own knowledge. It seeks to become an expert in some area of life to exalt itself in front of others. Paul was brilliant as a Jewish scholar, but he wasn’t interested in promoting his intellectual skills. To know Jesus Christ and Him crucified was enough for Paul. If you are to be a humble servant, then you must lay down your own accomplishments and find satisfaction in having a relationship with Jesus.

 

*Taken from Gifts from God by Kerry Skinner and Alison Veazey. Click here to order your copy!