• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About John Hembree
  • Blog

John Hembree

An Everyday Expression of Hope and Its Potential

An Everyday Expression of Hope 

The Down Side Of Serving (The Martha Syndrome)

February 5, 2015 by John Hembree Leave a Comment

Contributing ValueShe texted me the following section from Oswald Chambers and My Utmost For His Highest.

“Beware of anything that competes with your loyalty to Jesus Christ.  The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him.  It is easier to serve than to completely pour out our lives for Him.  Are we more devoted to service than we are to Jesus Christ Himself?”

My response to her?

“In answer to the last question.  Unfortunately, the answer is yes.  Sad as that might be.”

It is rare that I stop and spend long periods of time with the One I proclaim to serve.

I read His Word daily, often, use it, speak it, write about it, all in use of serving Him.

There is much to be done in seventy years plus ten.

It’s the “Martha Syndrome”.

“But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made…”  Luke 10

Now, of course, someone would point out, “There has to be a balance.”

Yes, I agree.

Except my balance of the scales always leans toward serving, which in my mind is what we are here to do.

I have always been a strong proponent of the Social Gospel.

He took action on the cross so that I might take action because of the action he took.

In the world.

Taking the Gospel to the streets.

(Insert the Doobie Brothers, “Taking It To The Streets”, here in your mind.)

I wish more Christian artists, both visual and musically, would get more involved in the social aspect of the Gospel.

God knows He’s awesome.  You don’t have to tell him on all ten tracks on the CD.

Make a movie that moves people, that angers people, that causes them to run out of the theater and take action.

But, to my friends point, and I agree with her, if my actions point back to me and not to Him, then I done a good deed, but, I have not done that which I am called to do, to offer Hope through the Gospel.

Her text was timely in my life.

And she was exactly right.

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”  Colossians 3:17

john

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Filed Under: General

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe

Get Email Updates

* indicates required
/ ( mm / dd )

Recent Posts

Simple And Reassuring Heroes

Don’t Eat The Cheese

Direction Question

The Witch of Endor

My Life

Hidden But Known…

Better Days

Recent Comments

  • Emily on 61
  • Mere on An Incomplete Circle- An Unfinished Life
  • Emily on Reaching Forward…Each New Day
  • Emily on Not A Resolution..More Of A Resolve
  • Dan Davis on I Am Inescapable

Footer

  • Privacy Policy

© Copyright 2008-2021 · All Rights Reserved · Website by TecAdvocates