Judge by Position
By Mike Rule

It is so easy to wrongly judge someone's position and deem ourselves more important. Becky stays home everyday managing our home, teaching our children, cleaning, and cooking. Her contribution cannot be measured in immediate tangible results. She has no money to show for her work at the end of the week. She often has little sense of accomplishment. She continually does the mundane tasks that no one sees while I am out in the public eye. Having been involved in engineering in the auto industry for over a decade, and now being in full time ministry, people across the country and around the world are impacted by what I do. There can be a sense of satisfaction derived from being known as an "expert" in my field. It can be tremendously exciting and rewarding and there is always the big incentive of the paycheck to spur me on to excellence.

So which is the greater? In the world's eyes my position is the greater, but Jesus had some things to say about this. When the disciples were chasing the children away saying, "Leave Him alone; He's too important to see you." Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, for to such belongs the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:16). When talking about giving Jesus said, "Do not give in front of men... If you do you have received your reward, but give in secret and you will receive a reward from God Himself" (Matthew 6:1). When discussing what we have done and not done He said, "In as much as you done it to the least of these, you've done it to me" (Matthew 25:40).

The true measure of spirituality is not in how well we do things for a reward, but in how well we do things when there is no reward. It's not measured in how well we do things that are visible before men, but in how well we do things that are invisible to everyone. "There is no greater love than you lay down your life for a friend" (John 15:13). Many are willing to die for a friend, but how many are willing to pass on their favorite donut, surrender their comfortable chair, pass the best parking spot, yield their place on the road, or clean up someone else's mess, especially if it is for someone you have never met before?

The true measure of spirituality is not revealed in exciting and visible issues; it is revealed in the tiny, mundane, almost invisible things of life. In the truest sense this is what indicates what is truly in our hearts. This is a blessing from Him because it reveals to each of us our desperate need for Jesus. Everything points us to Him. Praise Him for being everything to us that we are are not!