disciples_and_servants The Words of Jesus of Nazareth You cannot allow two masters to rule your life. You will either hate one, and love the other; or else cling to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and remain a slave to the gods of this world. Which one of you, planning to build a tower, wouldn't first sit down and estimate the cost, making sure there was enough money to finish it? Otherwise you might lay the foundation, and then be forced to abandon the project. Those who had been observing your progress would laugh at you, and say: "He began to build, but now he is bankrupt." A king who wants to wage war must first sit down with his military advisors to consider whether his army of ten thousand is capable of defeating the enemy's force of thirty thousand. If his advisors see no chance of victory, he will have to send his ambassadors out to meet the enemy, and attempt to negotiate peace before the battle begins. Thus you must first examine what you consider as your own: family, money, earthly possessions. Unless you are willing to count the cost, and make a total commitment, even of these things, you cannot truly follow me. Let me remind you: the person who is diligent in small things will also be trusted with much; and the person who is dishonest with little things will also be dishonest with much. If you can't be trusted with earthly riches, how can you be trusted with spiritual riches? And if you haven't been faithful with what belongs to another, who will offer you riches of your own? I send you out as sheep among wolves: so be as wise as serpents, but harmless as doves. You have seen how the kings and rulers of the earth exercise their authority, and lord it over the poor that are beneath them. This is not true for you who belong to the kingdom of God. Whoever would be great among you, must first be your servant. And whoever of you would be the greatest, must first be servant of all. Even so I, the Messiah, came not to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many. If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. Continue in the light of my word: then you are truly my disciples. Don't be like the falsely pious, inventing laws and ordinances. They glory in their rules, and don't follow even one of them. They lay burdens of legalism on the necks of their followers, while they wouldn't dream of observing such rules. They go to great lengths to be seen, wearing extravagant clothing, behaving with great ceremony; they love to sit at the head tables and on the front row. They love to be called esteemed and learned teacher. But you shouldn't be called esteemed or master; for you have only one master, and you are all his brothers and sisters. Refrain from calling men your spiritual father; for you have one Father in heaven. Neither allow anyone to call you learned teacher; for there is one teacher, Christ. The one who is greatest among you must first be your servant; and all those who humble themselves will be exalted. When the Messiah returns in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, he will sit on the throne of his heavenly glory. Before him will be gathered all nations; and he will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. The sheep he will set on his right hand, and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand: "Come, blessed by my Father; enter into the inheritance of the kingdom, prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you offered me food. I was thirsty, and you brought me cold water to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me in. I was without clothes, and you clothed me. I was ill, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me." Then the righteous will answer in amazement: "Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and give you shelter; or needing clothes, and clothe you? Did we ever see you will, and take care of you; or in prison, and visit you?" The King will reply: "Truly, I tell you now, inasmuch as you have done these things for the least of my brothers and sisters, you have done the same for me." But to the ones on his left, the King will say: "Depart from me! For I was hungry, and you gave me no food. I was thirsty, and you offered me nothing to drink. I was a stranger, and you turned me away. I was naked, and you gave me no clothes. I was sick, yet you didn't care for me. I was in prison, but you didn't visit me." Then they will answer him: "Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not comfort you?" The King will answer: "Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you have failed to do these things for the least of my brothers and sisters, you have failed to do them for me." These then will be sent away into eternal darkness, but the righteous will be ushered in to the place of life. You call me master and Lord, and you are correct, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and master, am willing to be your lowest servant, then you too should be willing to serve one another. I have given you an example; you should do the same as I have done for you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These are the very words of Jesus of Nazereth. Taken originally from the Bible , and arranged here by subject as they appear in Lee Cantelon's book "The Words" (c) 1997. [www.thewords.com] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The_Words 010826 ... minnesota_chris In my new job, I'm a disciple and a servant. I read a training manual about my position today. It said that I wasn't supposed to say very much. I work with special ed. kids but I'm not invited to the planning meetings. I'm not supposed to say anything negative in meetings. I'm not supposed to do anything harmful with the students, but I've never been trained to do anything. There's a whole section on "duties" and "procedures" of how I'm supposed to do my job. It's full of blanks, I'm supposed to ask people and write it in. Not in the master copy, though, they need that. 040122 what's it to you? who go blather from