Spiritual Servitude
Exodus 21:6, 1 Corinthians 7:22
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word slave? We’ve been taught for years that most slaves have been non-white, and have been severely mistreated. There is no denying that there was a time of slavery here in America, and that there was injustice and cruelty. The mistreatment of another human being is always wrong and unjust, and sadly slavery has been around for centuries. However it was not always an evil and unjust practice…..when it was done God’s way.
Most every ethnicity has had slavery in it’s lineage. Every race and color had slaves for various purposes. It wasn’t wrong or immoral when another person employed a slave, a servant, or what was referred to as a bondsmen. Of course there would always be someone evil and abusive, but when God’s law was followed there was justice and respect. Chapter 21 of Exodus details how servants were to be treated. There were to serve their master for six years, and on the seventh year they were to go free. There was a free will choice given to the servant or slave. Verse 5 begins with, “But if the servant plainly says, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go free, then his master shall bring him to the judges.”
This was not only a legal matter, but also a moral one. What servant or slave would choose to remain in servitude to someone who was abusing and mistreating him and his family? Free will is a gift of love. A loving and respectful master knows that treating a servant kindly will bring him not only honor and respect back; but also prosperity in his endeavors. He would become a respected person in his community when others would recognize that his bounty came from just living, not ruling with an iron fist.
There was a physical identity that the servant would agree to. “He was brought to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.” He was now physically identified as a servant of his master for the rest of his life. This may seem hard for us to understand in our culture, and we view it as somewhat barbaric. However if we will look at this through a spiritual lens, we will understand how it applies to us today.
I’m not suggesting that we get an awl piercing through our ear, but what I am advocating is that we wholeheartedly identify as bond servants as Paul identified himself throughout the New Testament. Romans 1:1 “Paul, a bond servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.” Paul did not have his ear pierced with an awl, but he did have physical scars that identified the cost of his discipleship. “From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” Galatians 6:17
Whether our scars are physical or emotional, they are proof that we are living for a greater good than what is on this earth. We are identifying with our Master that we will be spending eternity with. Sometimes it takes a physical wounding that will cause us to fall before Him in such a way, that we will not only see Him differently; but now our ear will be turned and tuned in to Him on an entirely new frequency. It is the frequency of heaven. It comes to us in times of extreme chaos. We were not planning to have an “ear piercing” event, but nonetheless it came and got our attention.
Paul had his life divinely interrupted without warning. He was on another murderous mission to persecute and imprison new believers….when suddenly without warning he was knocked off his horse and blinded. (Acts 9:1-9) Most of us will not have such a dramatic conversion, but regardless of where He calls you from, He wants you wholly surrendered and living for Him. Not just playing church on Sunday. Will you allow the Master to pierce your ear? You’ve gotta serve someone.
“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night.: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2