“Against the boring art of living for oneself”.

Because of Jesus plus nothing we are able to see the life of Jesus as a road map for our own life and not only as a newspaper that you toss to the wastebasket after reading the headlines.

Jesus came to this world as one who serves and not as one to be served.

To those of us who are already adults in the faith, I dare to say in the light of the prompt return of Jesus, “It is time to draw the line.”

If you believe in Jesus plus nothing, then you are a bonded slave of Jesus by your own choice and God’s gracious and sovereign election and immutable predestination. As such, you must put out of your mind the myth of a life full of options. Where God is sovereign, “options” are as real as a mirage.

A month ago I noticed in the bottom of my right pinky toe a bright red spot in the shape of a heart. Yesterday my doctor said, “Keep an eye on that now black spot.”

Diabetes, a stroke, weakness plus the lack of exercise has caused poor circulation in my legs that they have swelled worse due to long hours of sitting down in front of the computer, some meetings and long flights. The above mentioned list of things are like confessions that are good for reasoning but good for nothing else.

As small as my pinky toe is, it belongs to my body and without any option but to remain healthy for the sake of “my sovereign body” to which it belongs.

Let us for the sake of argument address my pinky toe as “a rebellious toe” though we all will agree that it is “the neglected toe” that even a lawyer made out of sticks would win the case of “neglect.”
Regardless of the real reason of “rebellion or neglect” my toe is facing an ultimatum. “He who is not with me is against me, he who does not gather with me, scatters.” Luke 11: 22.

By now most of you are wishing to be lawyers and tear me apart taking the case of my pinky toe. Thank you, because the little sick, blackened pinky toe is “my toe” and I still care for it.

But if “Law is reason free of passion” (Aristotle) the greater good of the body requires the sacrifice of the lesser instead of the greater, unless grace by love chooses to step behind enemy lines and is willing to risk it all to save the lesser “pinky toe”.

Jesus came behind enemy lines to seek and to save that which was lost. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, so send I you.”
Jesus did not come to this world for Health and Life. Jesus brought Health and Life into an otherwise dead world. 

Jesus did not come to be served but as one who serves.
Though he served he was not the servant of anyone but of our Lord and Father in whose name we also serve.

It is time to go intensely living for others with the balance of our life.
There is no service after death, but plenty of “Rest.”

 

Gerry Gutierrez.

 

PS. My mentor (Doug Coe) was taller than I thirty years ago. He shrunk in front of my eyes and worked himself to death in the service of others. He blessed me as Elijah blessed Elisha shortly before he died.