“Let’s never forget that we’re all under-rowers; we’re all housekeepers. We do what we do for one reason: the glory of the Captain of the ship — Jesus Christ. He gets all the credit. We have the responsibility to row and serve.”- Charles Swindoll
“Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said to himself, ‘My master should not have let this Aramean get away without accepting any of his gifts. As surely as the Lord lives, I will chase after him and get something from him.’ So Gehazi set off after Naaman.”- 2 Kings 5:20-21 (NLT)
Charles Swindoll concludes Chapter 3 of What If . . . God Has Other Plans? as he examines the betrayal Gehazi perpetrated on Elisha. Consequently, Pastor Swindoll lists three elements that make up this level of deception:
- Rationalization. Gehazi used erroneous, self-satisfying reasons to justify his behavior. Above all, he had the audacity to invoke the Lord’s name to give credence to his actions.
- Greed. In addition, Gehazi never thought to appeal to Elisha for guidance. Rather, Gehazi secretly set out to fulfill his greedy aim.
- Secrecy. Finally, once he returned home with the loot, Gehazi hid the evidence. Furthermore, when asked about his whereabouts, he boldly lied to Elisha’s face.
As a result, despite the intense heartache Gehazi caused, Pastor Swindoll offers two powerful lessons for all of us:
- Leave no room in your life for deception. In every situation and decision, Pastor Swindoll exhorts, ask yourself the same question: What’s the right thing to do? If you consistently ask that question, you’ll never deceive others.
- Guard against all forms of rationalization. In conclusion, Pastor Swindoll relates that only one small plaque sits on his church office desk. The plaque asks this question: What’s my motive? Hence, Charles reads and ponders that question every day he’s in the office.
Today’s question: What Bible verses help you remember your servant role as housekeepers and under-rowers? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The body of Christ – a safe, loving place?”
