We hope you enjoy this re-post from May 23, 2013. Be blessed! The Today’s Quote From God Team

Is he grateful and does he praise the servant because he did what he was ordered to do? – Luke 17:9, Amplified Bible

Pride is difficult to shake, even for the most dedicated of Christians. As soon as we think pride is gone from our lives, God will bring something into our lives to show us that we have not yet arrived at the pinnacle of humility.

One area where pride can creep in is the area of Christian service. It’s not hard to start thinking well of ourselves when we compare ourselves to other Christians who aren’t doing as much for Christ as we are. We think that since we are more obedient to Christ, we are worthy of praise. The reality is that we are simply a little less disobedient than our fellow workers, which only makes us a little less deserving of rebuke.

Christ put it this way to the apostles in Luke 17:7-10 (AMP):

7 Will any man of you who has a servant plowing or tending sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, Come at once and take your place at the table?

8 Will he not instead tell him, Get my supper ready and gird yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; then afterward you yourself shall eat and drink?

9 Is he grateful and does he praise the servant because he did what he was ordered to do?

10 Even so on your part, when you have done everything that was assigned and commanded you, say, We are unworthy servants [possessing no merit, for we have not gone beyond our obligation]; we have [merely] done what was our duty to do.

Christ’s point is summed up beautifully by commentator Matthew Henry:

“The best servants of Christ, even when they do the best services, must humbly acknowledge that they are unprofitable servants; though they are not those unprofitable servants that bury their talents… they are unprofitable… [because] God cannot be a gainer by our services, and therefore cannot be made a debtor by them.”

Our duty is to obey God, but we should not pat ourselves on the back for doing so. Even if we obey every command, we’ve done nothing more than what was expected of us. No doubt, we all hope that when we get to Heaven, God will look at us and recite to us that encouraging phrase, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” But if He does, just understand that He is doing so not because we’ve earned the right to hear it; He is doing so out of the kindness of His heart, being the Great Encourager that He is.

We’re not doing God any favors by obeying Him. We’re simply doing our duty.