Introduction

The service is difficult. It requires a lot of effort on our part. And like anything in order to continue on the road of success we need continual self-examination. Otherwise, we might go down the wrong path, which would be bad for us and for the people we are serving.

The purpose of self-examination is to re-align ourselves with the primary purpose of the service. We should ask ourselves what that is. This is not a question we ask once, but I believe it's a question we have to ask ourselves on a daily basis.

If our goal gets misaligned, then problems can creep into the service.

Articulation

Part of self-examination is taking time to articulate our thoughts; our plans for change.

Many times we can have ideas which we think are brilliant or on point, but we don't spent time articulating them. When we start talking about them we quickly realize how unclear and vague these thoughts are. Vague thoughts are not very useful and can cause confusion to us and to others around us. Have you ever got in an argument with someone and started talking left and right and didn't feel that you made sense? This is because in anger or anxiety or any heightened emotions we don't spend the time and effort necessary to articulate our thoughts clearly. We just blurt the first thing that comes to mind. We need to learn to be careful with our words. When we don't we end up creating more problems than we solve.  Articulation and words give us power over our circumstances. We no longer become victims of our circumstances. Articulation gives us the ability to take the potential for change and make it into reality.

Therefore, it's imperative to spend the time clarifying and solidifying our thoughts; working out any loopholes; working out the logic of our arguments. This is of particular importance when we examine ourselves and our service to lay down our plans for improvement of the self first and by extension our community.

Stopping at thinking internally only, while good is incomplete. It doesn't get us all the way to where we want to go, which is to affect change. In order to affect change we must go outside ourselves and articulate our thoughts. Articulating thoughts implies having an audience to hear and give feedback on these thoughts. Many times our thoughts require an objective third party to work out our biased from our thoughts. Being too close to something hinders our ability to be objective.

To reiterate, the goal of all of this is to be able to come up with a solid and measurable plan for self-improvement. 

Activity

Being articulate is difficult, but it is a skill worth working hard to attain. The following exercise has the following steps:

  1. Look at common issues that we face individually and in the service and see how we can handle them
  2. By extension we need to put in the effort to articulate our plan for improvement
  3. If we have time each group will provide feedback on the other two group's presentation.

Let's take 3 issues and try to delve in each.

Contention in the Service

12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole [b]palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 [c]The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. (Philippians 1:12-18)

Respect of Persons (Partiality)

  • You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.(Leviticus 19:15)
  • Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him. 17 You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s. (Deut 1:17)
  • You shall appoint judges and officers in all your [c]gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not [d]show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and [e]twists the words of the righteous. (Deut 16:19)
  • My bretheren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons (James 2:1)
  • And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him (Ephesians 6:9)
  • Respect of persons (Partiality in service) hurts people. It leads them to feel like they are not worth it. That God doesn't love them because they are not someone's favourite. This can lead to long term problems in their view of God.

    • 17 ‘And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats. 18 Is it too little for you to have eaten up the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the [c]residue of your pasture—and to have drunk of the clear waters, that you must foul the residue with your feet? 19 And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet, and they drink what you have fouled with your feet.”

      20 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: “Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. 21 Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, 22 therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken. (Ezekiel 34: 17-24)

Spiritual Law

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and [l]self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:23-28)

Discussion Questions

  1. What is the primary purpose of your service? IE, why do you serve?
  2. What is the impact of these issues on myself as individual?
  3. What is the impact of these issues on the service?
  4. Can you illustrate how this issue can manifest itself?
  5. Outline some steps to take if I recognize this issue in myself?
  6. Outline some steps  to take if I encounter this issue in the service?
  7. What can I do to take a negative situation and turn it to a positive?
  8. Can you support your argument with examples from the Bible?
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