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Do You Want to Join the Club? By William Miller There are groups or clubs set up for just about everything in life. All have leaders, and many people seek those positions. But which position should we strive for?
ere you in a club when you were a kid? Not a Boys Club, Girl Scouts or any other organized activity, but a neighborhood club with your friends on the block? I was in at least two, maybe three, before I turned 12 years old.
And then most of the other boys would say, "Dibs on second president!" Someone else announced, "I'll be vice president." And then we would argue over rank. You see, we didn't understand that the vice president was the second president. We thought he was the third president or the third person in charge. In one of these clubs, we had a girl, and she said she would be secretary. Nobody argued about being the secretary. We thought secretaries were always girls. The truth was that the girls were the only ones who could write. We boys were learning writing, but we didn't feel (any of us) that we could compete with her in that area. Pride and maturity
But we are Christians. And to be a true Christian, a real Christian, we must be mature. Ephesians 4:14 and 15 indicate that our thinking cannot remain as it was when we were "kids." Yes, we can and should be childlike in humility (Matthew 18:3), but not childish in our assessment of the world, as Paul clearly explained. This Christian maturity is difficult and nearly impossible in the world that you and I presently inhabit. The world says: You can get away with being stupid as long as you are aggressive; you can remain unfeeling as long as you are fast; and you can roll right over others as long as you always see yourself as first president. We need God This has been the way of the universe since Lucifer went bad and stated in Isaiah 14:14, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High." We know who "the Most High" is, and we know that Jesus said, "No servant can serve two masters" (Luke 16:13). Christ knew what Lucifer wanted, and the master position could never ever be his.
And what do we really know that we have not been taught by others? Not much. There is a perspective that Jesus shared with His disciples toward the end of His life on earth. He knew He was leaving for a while to be with God, and He wanted the disciples to understand His "club." Consider what He taught in two important passages: Matthew 23:8-12: "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." In essence, Christ was saying, "You are all brothers."
Here He was basically saying, "Learn to be a servant." Along with understanding these two passages, we also know that the office of First President is already taken. Let's be supremely thankful for the opportunity to become a member of the club and a humble servant! Read more about this subject in "Jesus Christ's Leadership Approach." Copyright 2010 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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Origin of article "Do You Want to Join the Club?"
Keywords: pride leadership servant service humility
Serving: