Volunteer Slaves

by Elisabeth Elliot

"Slave" is not a word most of us nowadays feel comfortable with. It is significant that most modern Bible translations use "servant" instead. For a slave is not his own, has no rights whatsoever, is not in charge of what happens to him, makes no choices about what he will do or how he is to serve, is not recognized, appreciated, thanked or even (except by his absence) noticed at all.

Once we give up our slavery to the world, which is a cruel master indeed, to become Christ's bondslave, we live out our servitude to Him by glad service to others. This volunteer slavery cannot be taken advantage of--we have chosen to surrender everything for love. It is a wholly different thing from forced labor. It is in fact the purest joy when it is most unobserved, most unself-conscious, most simple, most freely offered.

Lord, break the chains that hold me to myself; free me to be your happy slave--that is, to be the happy foot-washer of anyone today who needs his feet washed, his supper cooked, his faults overlooked, his work commended, his failure forgiven, his griefs consoled, or his button sewed on. Let me not imagine that my love for You is very great if I am unwilling to do for a human being something very small.

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man, have i been in a funk lately. i can't (or maybe just don't want to) put into words the thoughts and feelings that i have had over the last month. elisabeth elliot seems to put into words exactly what i need to hear most days, so i post her devotionals so i can go back and read them when i need a life lesson refresher. i have been asking, seeking, and knocking of the Lord, "what in the world do you want me to do with my life?!" i am so frustrated! and then i find this devotional about being a bondservant, and it all becomes clear to me: this is exactly what i want to do with my life. i'm tired of living for my own happiness, constantly telling God who i want, what i want, when i want it, where i want it, and how i want it. in the words of Dr. Phil "how's that workin' for ya?" IT'S NOT!!! so from here on out, i am a volunteer slave. it doesn't matter what i want. i am not here for my happiness, for my glory, or to collect as many words of affirmation as i can. i have no rights whatsoever. i am not in charge of what happens to me. i am making no choices about what i will do or how i am to serve. i will serve whether i am recognized, appreciated, thanked, noticed... or not.

"...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:43-45