What You Think About You Matters

The apostle Paul must rank near the top of any list of acclaimed characters of the Bible. Volumes have been written that testify to the brilliance of his work, the boundless reaches of his sacrifices, the extent of his successes, and depth of the impact that his work left in the lives of those touched and the world as a whole.  With such accomplishments and credentials to his credit it would have been very easy for him to become conceited and self-serving.  Interestingly, though, we never see the slightest hint of either in Paul’s work or writings.

In Romans 1 Paul was introducing himself to the Roman Christians whom he wanted to visit shortly and the first thing he did was reveal three fundamental facts about himself he wanted them to know and under which he functioned: “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God…” (vs. 1).  Paul’s perception of himself was rooted in a deep humility because he understood some things about himself that some never do.

Paul knew his manner of life – he was a bond-servant.  The word “bond-servant” refers to one who gives himself up to another.  It’s not a forced slavery, but instead a willing submission.  It was a common arrangement for those who owed a significant debt they would have a hard time repaying to submit himself/herself in service to work off that debt.  That’s the way that Paul looked at himself.   He didn’t consider himself some master, some man of great authority, a man to be revered, or feared.  He had been a blasphemer, a persecutor, an insolent man, and chief of all sinners but God had enabled him, put him into the ministry, and saved him (1 Timothy 1:12-17).  For those reasons and many others Paul felt a debt towards God that motivated him every day to serve Him to the best of his ability.   At the end of the day that’s the way every Christian ought to view himself/herself – we are but unprofitable servants doing what is our duty to do (Luke 17:10).  The kingdom would be in much better shape if every Christian assumed the same manner of life as did Paul – we are bond-servants.

Paul knew his mission – he was an apostle.  That day in Acts 9 changed everything for Paul to such an extent that he would never be the same.  That day he met Jesus, was taught the gospel, became a Christian, and was commissioned by God to spend his life preaching that same gospel message to all men, but primarily to the Gentiles.  He wanted them to know that he wasn’t just some fly-by-night fellow who didn’t know what he was talking about.  For him to have the impact he had the ability to have he needed to have a degree of respect among those with whom he worked.  The authority and the credentials he held as an apostle would ensure that respect as they digested what he wrote and as they looked forward to his arrival.  But more importantly he had a singular mission.  He wasn’t a tent-maker who moonlighted as an apostle, nor was Christianity just his hobby.  His singular mission in life was his work as an apostle.  He would do other things at times, like go back to tent-making, when he had to but he never allowed those things to detract from his ultimate mission. We, as Christians, need the same level of respect among those with whom we work and be just as committed to our mission as was Paul.  If so we have the potential to be just a fruitful.

Paul knew his message – the gospel.  I was watching a “sermon” preached by a popular big city “preacher” not too long ago.  As he began he read a single verse from his Bible, sat the Bible down, and went on to use a single word or phrase from that verse to talk about something for the next 45 minutes that had nothing to do whatsoever with the verse nor with Christianity at all.  It was a self-help, feel-good speech, and the people loved to have it so.  Paul recognized the allure of smooth words and flattering speeches that deceive the hearts of the simple (Romans 16:18).  But he also condemned them, noting that such “preachers” should be marked and avoided (Romans 16:17).  What message had changed Paul’s life and what message had changed the lives of the multitudes to whom Paul ministered?  The message of the gospel.  And for that reason Paul’s commitment was to that message.  In fact, he valued his ministry of the gospel so much that he said: “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16).  We have enough self-serving, belly-filling, ear-scratching public speakers masquerading as Bible teachers and gospel preachers.  It’s time for us to reclaim the message of the gospel in our ministries for the redeeming of the world.

Paul understood something in is work.  He understood that it mattered what he thought about himself.  In fact, in Romans 12:3 he had warned his readers “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”  His ability to be relatable and humble likely helped in his work among the masses.   Let’s never get to a point in our lives where we assume a “greatness in the kingdom.” Let’s remember the truth about our manner of life, our mission, and our message, because what you think about you matters.

-Andy