Jul
23
Better Than Sacrifice
Filed Under Devotional
I would guess that most folks have had a friend or coworker who implements the martyr approach to social relations. (If this is actually you, then read closely). This is the person who will bend over backwards to do more work than they were asked to do in an effort to gain more praise or get a sympathy for that same excessive work. Now, when this person is actually helping the project or the overall goal, it’s just annoying. When they go so far as to disrupt the larger aim, then it’s a compound problem. It’s a relationship problem and an obstacle to the process.
“To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” Proverbs 21:3
This is not rocket science. Simply do what God has asked you to do. Live the way He has asked you to live. You cannot impress God by going out of your way to create work for yourself or to endanger yourself or to impoverish yourself more than He asked. The reason, of course, is because it’s about the heart.
In your heart of hearts, you will know if you are passionately serving God or fishing for praise or pity. Don’t let someone guilt you by trying to play the martyr. More importantly, don’t try to impress God or those around you by killing yourself needlessly. That approach is manipulative and, as quoted above, less acceptable to God. Do this and you actually devalue your service to Him.
Do the simple thing. Do what is right and just.