Text - Luke 17:7-10
I had to read this portion of scripture a couple of times because reading it once wasn't going to cut it. The first time you read it, you'd wonder why the master is so mean. The servant had just finished working and without gratitude he was given yet another task. Your human rights alter ego might even argue substantial facts in the servants favour after the reading. But read it again and meditate. You'll probably get to see what I saw.
After a whole day of wondering what Jesus was trying to get at, I was able to by God's grace rearrange the story and find out that; the work the servant had done wasn't out of his initiative, it was an order his master had given him.
A lot of times we are looking for applause for a job we've been called to do, a duty. Servants do their duty regardless of praise or gratitude. Ever seen a high ranked soldier thanking his subordinate for obeying an order? No? Exactly!
No one is offered 'special thanks' for doing their duty.
“…when I finish eating and drinking then you can eat.” (vs 8) The master wasn't going to deny his servant rest, he was just going to rest first. Is it possible for a servant to sit to eat before his master? Even after a long day of work? As far as the master isn't satisfied, work continues.
A servant's satisfaction is derived from his master's satisfaction.
Jesus understood that by telling parables he could properly pass across a message that would have been ordinarily difficult to comprehend.
We have been called by God as Christians to do certain things. It is our job, our calling, a duty that should not be taken lightly. But sometimes we treat our duties as favors we do to God so we expect some sort of gratitude in return, often times for a job half-heartedly done.
Could the lack of notice and approval be the source of your demotivation? Could this be the reason you stopped performing your duties, because you haven't heard “We thank God for Sister”?
You are a servant of God, Serve!