Some years back, one of our children, (I won’t name who) was wanting to go to Walmart with Gina. Gina looked at the child in question and said, “you have to put your shoes on”. Being a toddler, our child broke into what we would call a wall-eyed fit! I don’t know where the term originates but its definition is a tantrum. This particular child on this particular day didn’t want to go to the trouble of putting their shoes on by themselves. The child was old enough, was capable enough, just didn’t want to do it. The commotion got my attention and when I asked “what was wrong?” the child yelled “she is so demanding!” After stifling a laugh, I asked Gina what was happening and she relayed the story and promptly went to Walmart, leaving said child with me.
Romans 12:1 says “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service”.
What our child was wrestling with that day was reasonable service. As believers there are things that we should live out in our lives that are just our reasonable service. Reasonable service means doing that which is expected by virtue of responsibility, position, maturity or possibly employment.
There are certain things that are expected of us when we accept a position of employment. Hopefully we are given a job description of the duties and responsibilities that go along with that position. We receive wages for the things that are outlined in that description. It is our reasonable service. As believers we are told that there are somethings, we should be doing that simply go hand in hand with being a believer in Jesus Christ. There are many that I could list from the Word of God but I believe they all hang on the following statement from Jesus himself.
Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
This is our reasonable service, simply what is expected of us as Christians. Our young child did finally put their shoes on and I drove out to Walmart and delivered said child to Gina.
Reasonable service is learned through discipleship, maturity and obedience as we submit our will to His.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I submit my will to you. I desire to do my reasonable service in Your Kingdom. Help me to walk as You would have me walk out this Christian life. In Jesus Name. Amen.