On Being A Servant

This morning we have the privilege of welcoming a guest writer to share a page in the narrative of grace. She is an woman of God, a teacher of the Word, and writer of Bible studies, whom I am humbled to share with you today. Join us as we greet Linda Osborne to the reading chair!

On Being A Servant

At my Bible study right now, we’re on the first missionary journey with the apostle Paul and finding that right from the get-go he faced opposition. There was opposition in Antioch, so they went to Iconium; there was opposition in Iconium, so they went to Lystra; etc., etc., etc. Opposition every step of the way. We might tend to think: really? That doesn’t make sense. Paul was serving the Lord. He gave his life for the gospel. Why would the Lord allow him to suffer opposition?

It seems backwards! It seems like his way would be smooth-sailing. And as new believers, we might even think that … at least for a time.



You know, sometimes we get a romantic view of what it will look like to serve Christ. We might even think how important we would be if we were called to the mission field or if we were called to be a pastor or to what we might consider prominent position. In our “humanness,” we might be motivated by a desire to be successful or to be seen. Or maybe we have a desire to be significant, which is not a bad thing in and of itself. But the correct posture for us, rather than seeking importance or significance, is to seek to be useful to the Lord.

That was Paul’s heart. And because of that, when the opposition came, he simply continued on with the work: going to the next place on the map and preaching the gospel there.

You see, that’s what you do when you’re called to be a servant.

The fact is, that each and every one of us has a calling on his or her life. Each of us has a destiny of usefulness to God. We have each been given gifts to be used for the kingdom. But the only calling that will be of profit to us or to the world around us is the one to which we are called by God. And within that calling, there will often be great opposition.

Listen to Oswald Chambers on the subject: "God doesn’t call us to do things that are easy to us naturally, He only asks us to do the things we are perfectly fitted to do by His grace, and the cross will come along that line always.”

And there it is!

Linda Osborne

If you have been blessed by what you've read today from Linda and would like to check out her book on leadership, Called to Lead: Catch the Vision, and Bible study guides, please click here to visit her website, and to follow her blog click here. Thank you!