When people speak of obedience or subservience, one often thinks of "Man's Best Friend", the dog. It is truly amazing sometimes how intelligent some canines are. Dogs can be trained to fetch slippers, guard homes, and jump onto couches, at only the sound of a master's voice.
Subservience is found from more than just pets. The story is told that a few centuries before Christ a man named Alexander and a small company of soldiers approached a strongly fortified walled city. Alexander, standing outside the walls, raised his voice and demanded to see the king. When the king arrived, Alexander insisted that the king surrender the city and its inhabitants to Alexander and his little band of fighting men.
The king laughed, "Why should I surrender to you? You can't do us any harm!" But Alexander offered to give the king a demonstration. He ordered his men to line up single file and start marching. He marched them straight toward a sheer cliff.
The townspeople gathered on the wall and watched in shocked silence as, one by one, Alexander's soldiers marched without hesitation right off the cliff to their deaths! After ten soldiers died, Alexander ordered the rest of the men to his side. The townspeople and the king immediately surrendered to Alexander the Great. They realized that if a few men were actually willing to commit suicide at the command of this dynamic leader, then nothing could stop his eventual victory.
Children of God are called to live a life that is subservient to Jesus, our Master and brother. 1 John 2:2-6 tells us "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."
Let's live each day in gratitude for being able to serve such a loving God and King.
