Evil Service?

By Michael Pemberton

 “If it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve.”

-Joshua, speaking to some independently minded and stubborn people.

 I hesitated outside the back door of her huge old Victorian house; my knuckles poised an inch from her screen door.  My stomach was in knots as I forced my 9-year-old pride back down my throat, took a breath and knocked lightly. I hope she's not home.  She is.

 She doesn't seem surprised to see me.  Her perfectly quaffed silver hair and neat business suit told me she was busy.  I had only been her lawn boy for two months or so, but I could already tell when she had a client and didn't want to be disturbed.

 "Are you ready to try again?" she asked directly.

"Yes, ma'am," I said.

"Well then, it's still waiting for you."

 I turned from the porch, headed for the garden plot and got to work.  As I crawled on my hands and knees among the flowers, pulling the weeds, I thought of how the seemingly endless job had broken me and how I had quit a couple days before in sheer frustration.  I remembered how my dad had talked me into crawling back to ask for my job back. 

 Most of my dad's arguments were wasted on me, but two of them were significant enough to convince my young mind that facing the humiliation was worth it.  First, he pointed out that the humiliation couldn't feel much worse than quitting did.  I was miserable, disappointed, and angry with myself.  Second, he reminded me that she always paid me well, especially for these kinds of jobs.

 I eventually finished weeding that seemingly endless garden, and netted $10 and significant peace of mind in the process.  Now, many years later and half a world away, I find my heavenly father often giving me the same advice my dad did. 

 Does it seem evil where you are today?  Perhaps your job is the pits, your marriage is miserable, or your finances are a disaster.  Perhaps your life is somehow bad enough for you to want to quit.  Be careful! 

 The Lord God had freed the children of Israel from bondage and slavery so that they could serve him.  What they found when they left Egypt was a long trip through rough territory, a long war against a giant enemy and a more constrained relationship with their God.  What they got in return for all that was a uniquely close relationship with the Lord, the privilege of being his special people, and the chance to be his testimony to the rest of their dark world.

 Joshua had seen the rewards of quitting: an entire generation buried in the sands of the desert.  By faith he saw the rewards of not quitting.  He figured that serving the Lord was worth whatever price he had to pay.  Quitting was pure heartache, and you never stop paying for it.

 Serving the Lord may not be easy, but it certainly isn't evil.  It is not evil to make a bad marriage work.  Not evil to be faithful through debt or bad finances.  Not evil to devote time, energy and money to the winning the lost, relieving the afflicted, praying, singing or preaching.   It is certainly not evil to provide comfort or service.

 I know it may seem evil from time to time.  The world hates our Lord, and some of our own number have given them plenty of fuel for the fire of their hatred.  It seems that in these times, the claim of being “one of Christ's” has been tarnished to the point of embarrassment.

 I know that it can seem evil to submit yourselves to each other in love when the other seems so unworthy of it.  Past hurts build a checklist of warning signs and our hearts are determined not to be hurt again.  We check off our list and become defensive, then offensive.

 I know that it can seem evil when years of fruitlessness pass by, and all that you have invested seems ineffective.  All your prayers and pleadings fail to turn the hearts of your loved ones.  All your witnessing and preaching fails to convert souls.  All your work fails to bless your finances. 

 Do you imagine that your loving heavenly father somehow doesn't notice?  Now think about it, could that really be true?  Go ask him, see what he says.

 The service of the Lord is NOT evil.  It is also not:

• In vain
• Fruitless
• Without reward
• Easy
• Something the world is worthy of.

I would plead with you today, "Serve the Lord!"  Serve him with all your strength.  Serve him with all your intellect.  Serve him with all your heart.  Serve him with all the time, talent and money you can.

 Evil Service?  Exactly the opposite of the truth: His service is blessing and joy.