Wednesday 25th October
I’ve just found a website where, for the princely sum of $197, I can become a Lord or a Duke or a Baron. I’m not sure of the differences and to be honest if I was to spend $197 I think Earl Jeff Green sounds best. Christmas is coming up and who knows what Santa will bring.
I suppose that it is inevitable that some people will do this. We have a tendency to value people by their position in society.
Years ago this was formalised with royalty, aristocracy and jobs being placed into upper, middle or working class. One of the reasons, so I’m told, that clergy couldn’t serve on a jury is that they weren’t considered ‘peers’ or equals to the accused.
These days things aren’t so straightforward, but there is still a clamour for position and status. And there is a danger that this mentality can seep into church.
If we seek a position in church merely because of the title or the status that it brings then we have lost the plot. We must look to serve and not be served.
Paul writes in Philippians 2:6-7.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.
To be a servant of God is not a demeaning title because of two reasons. Firstly, Jesus took the nature of a servant. Secondly, because it’s a servant of God. My master does not need a title such as baron or earl; he is the Lord of everything. | 