Anti-glorification

“We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.” Luke 17:10

Unworthy – “Take the credit.  You deserve it.”  “You should be proud of yourself.”  “Give yourself a pat on the back.”  How many times have we heard someone say something like this?  And with good reason.  We aren’t looking for the accolades and honor that doesn’t belong to us.  We are modest people, we Christians.  We know that our success is God’s gift and we praise Him for His favor.  We don’t want more credit than we have earned.  But we do want some recognition, don’t we?  We want to feel just that little bit of sweet savor when someone acknowledges that we have done something good or something useful.  The minister wants to hear, “Great sermon, today”.  The teacher wants to hear, “You really taught me something important.”  Parents want to hear, “Thank you” from their children.  We wouldn’t mind a little recognition on the job.  It’s just human.

That’s why Jesus’ remark stings.  That’s why it is so foreign to us.  Jesus says that the truth is far more severe than we would like to believe.  After we have done all that is commanded of us, we still have only one real response.  We did nothing more than what was expected.  We are achreioi, unprofitable.  Literally, no longer useful.

Oh my, how we have watered down the words of the Teacher!  How we have skimmed over the impact of his unorthodoxy!  Can you imagine Jesus standing up at a retirement dinner and saying, “You only did what was expected.”  No!  We want the Jesus of infinite compassion, of constant encouragement, of unfailing support.  We want a Jesus like us.  Is Jesus really this harsh?

Before you take offense, notice where the emphasis lies.  In Greek, the first word, the emphatic word, is slaves.  “Slaves unprofitable we are”.  It is not the Master’s perspective that is in view here.  It is the slaves’,  The Master may be more than willing to shower praise, but the slaves know that they are what they are only because they have been obedient to the Master.  The Master gives them their identity in His commands.  They have no credit on their own.  They exist only because they belong to Him.

Jesus’ words are harsh only to those who do not truly embrace the priority of slavery.  They are harsh to those who really do want some credit, even if it is just a little for a good cause.  They are not yet slaves.  They have their own identity apart from the Master.  That’s why the remark bites.

And what about you?  Have you done only what was required or are you still looking for just a small pat on the back?