Oswald Chambers: No reserve

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Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” Mark 10:42-44

“[Jesus] says that in His kingdom he that is greatest shall be the servant of all. The real test of the saint is not preaching the gospel, but washing disciples’ feet, that is, doing the things that do not count in the actual estimate of men but count everything in the estimate of God. Paul delighted to spend himself out for God’s interests in other people, and he did not care what it cost. We come in with our economical notions “Suppose God wants me to go there? What about the salary? What about the climate? How shall I be looked after? A man must consider these things.” All that is an indication that we are serving God with a reserve. The Apostle Paul had no reserve. Paul focuses Jesus Christ’s idea of a New Testament saint in his life, viz.: not one who proclaims the Gospel merely, but one who becomes broken bread and poured out wine in the hands of Jesus Christ for other lives.”

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) in My Utmost For His Highest (Grand Rapids: Discovery House, 1963) reading for February 25. In case you have not noticed, I am spending my early mornings exploring many of the spiritual classics that can be read freely via PDF documents. If any of them interest you, I’d encourage you to read them on your own.

Chambers reminds us today that what counts in the “estimate of God” is sacrificial service. When compared to the “estimate of men” it makes absolutely no sense. Think about it. Worldly financial advice always starts with having a reserve. Jesus held nothing back, giving his life for us. Likewise, the Apostle Paul lived with no reserve.

Living generously is about aspiring to be a slave of all. It’s about living life with no reserve. It’s about washing the feet of fellow servants of Christ. As Chambers put it, “Paul delighted to spend himself out for God’s interests in other people.” To live this way requires trust that God will sustain us.

When I was training pastors in Florida years ago, the bishop of the group I was serving said something like this about people who live with a reserve: “Your trust is in your safety net! If you save up a reserve of money, your trust is in money. Money is your safety net. Only when my wife and I stored up everything in heaven did we realized Christ was enough to sustain us and our service to others in His name. He was a better safety net.”

That’s the paradox of generosity in the Christian faith. Most people miss it because it runs contrary to economical notions. Those notions, of course, align with the economy of this world thinking rather than God’s abundant economy. Father, teach us by your Holy Spirit to spend ourselves with no reserve as broken bread and poured out wine for others in the name of Jesus. Amen.