(Luke 17:10) . . . We are unprofitable servants . . .
All of us can relate to the feeling of being taken for granted. You do something for someone and they barely give you a glance for your service. And when you keep on serving them and they continually overlook your sacrifice, then you can really get an attitude. “Who do they think I am . . . their slave?” . . . “I lay my life down for them and this is all I get in return?” . . . “What if I stopped serving them just one day, then they’d see all the work I do for them!” O God, forgive us for ever entertaining such thoughts!
Read this parable: (Luke 17:7-10) "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? 8 "But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'? 9 "Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"
See, that’s all we are . . . unprofitable servants . . . just doing our privileged and honored duty in serving the Lord by serving others.
Yeah, people should be more grateful and share their appreciation of you but who do we do it for anyway? (Col 3:17) And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
When you do it for the Lord, He will bring the reward when you’re not looking for it. (Mat 6:4) that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
And isn’t there a reward in just serving? (Acts 20:35) "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
And how many times have I taken the Lord and His blessings for granted! But He keeps on blessing me. (Psa 103:2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits.
Brethren . . . “Serve the LORD with gladness!” (Psa 100:2)
Louie