By Pastor Greg
I am trying to make friends around
town while applying the same principles used in Facebook. Every day I walk down
the street and tell passersby what I have eaten, how I feel at the moment, what
I have done the night before, what I will
do later, and with whom. I give them
pictures of my family, my pets, and of me
gardening, taking things apart in the garage, watering the lawn, standing in
front of landmarks, driving around town, having lunch, and doing what anybody
and everybody does every day. I also listen to their conversations, give
them the "thumbs up" and tell them I like them. And it works just like Facebook! I
already have four people following me: two police officers, a private
investigator, and a psychiatrist.
Officers, how often do you meet
nutcases like this? I think most of us
don’t have a clue what it is like to be a public servant. We simply have no idea what it’s like to hold
back the tide of lawlessness and brokenness in this land. Just the other day I was sitting in an
emergency room and noticed the poster listing the rules of conduct. It never occurred to me that people would
come into the emergency room of a hospital and misbehave. Talking with one of the nurses, she says it
happens all the time. And I don’t know
why this never occurred to me – drunks, drug addicts, and aggressive people behaving in an unruly
manner. Public Servants indeed have
given their life for the good of others.
Jesus has said, “Greater love has no
one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” [1]
(John 15:13). And while His statement
was directed toward His death on the cross, it also speaks a truth that goes
beyond the payment for sin. These words
speak a truth that can be seen in ordinary people who have made an
extraordinary sacrifice. These people
are willing to lay down their life for a stranger – for someone they did not
know. In our nation, right now, there
are thousands of people who are risking their lives for total strangers. To me, that is an incredible act of service. These
people rush in, while most of us
flee. They see trauma that most of us
cannot imagine. They step in where there
is conflict, making every attempt to keep the peace and enforce the law, not
knowing what the outcome might be.
Those who survive the traumatic incident
go home trying to process what they have just seen and experienced, while the
rest of the world lives on in slumbering ignorance.
You and I have no idea the weight
and pain our public servants carry with them each and every day. Which is why I feel we who are served should
take the time to pray for these individuals.
They need our support and compassion.
They need our encouragement. Most
of all, I think they need to know that their sacrifice is making a difference
in this world.
You know, there is an incredible
story in the Bible about an amazing Public Servant. I love this story in Acts. It spans several chapters. And each time we meet Claudius, he
demonstrates the genuine heart of a
servant.
You should read the whole story
beginning in Acts 21:15 and ending in Acts 23:35
when the Apostle Paul safely arrives in the city of Caesarea.
The Apostle Paul is attacked and
beaten by a crowd of hateful Jews. Yet into
the mob rushes Claudius. Most people
would run away, but not a public servant.
They have dedicated their lives to maintaining peace and upholding the
law. Paul would have been executed on
the spot had it not been for Claudius, and I’ve often wondered if he knew what
impact his service would have in the kingdom of God.
Although he mistook Paul for some
rabble-rouser, Claudius corrected himself when he learned of Paul’s citizenship
and identity. What is significant is
that by his actions, Paul’s life was spared for several years (at least
six). During those years, Paul wrote
many of the letters we see preserved in the New Testament. In prison in Rome, he led some of Caesar’s household
to the Lord (see Philippians 4:22).
Those of you who are public
servants, do realize the impact your service has in this world? Protecting, rescuing, and saving a life might
seem like an insignificant act, but it can have a lasting difference in countless other lives. Do you know how many “Paul’s” you have saved
from an angry mob? Of course
you don’t. But is it possible you may
have saved the life of the next Billy Graham?
Or maybe you save the life of a preacher who one day leads a young soul
to the Lord. That young soul will spend
eternity in Heaven because a pastor faithfully
shared the gospel. And that preacher
could faithfully share the gospel because a public servant saved his life. You simply
do not know the lives you impact each and every day.
Like Claudius, you might simply be
doing Your job. But sometimes you
literally become the hands and feet of God while serving. You impact the Kingdom of God in more ways
than you can imagine. And please don’t
forget that the life you protect today might impact the Kingdom of God tomorrow. Keep serving.
Keep protecting. Without you, we would be “lost to the mob.”
So, public servants – officers,
paramedics, first responders, firefighters, and all others who risk their lives
even for a stranger – let us pray for you and your family. Let us serve you for a moment. Allow us to ask for God’s protection and
guidance as you make this world a better place to live.
No comments:
Post a Comment