A Christian Personality?

As you know, I intentionally live as a subject of the Kingdom of God in an incarnational way.

For many years, I worked, in a variety of capacities, as a minister in the church.

I finally resigned from the role of congregational pastor about five years ago, though I continued to have a prominent role in the ministry at Faith.

Now, I work as a Front End manager in a super market.

It's a humble job. A humbling job at times.

But, I do it gladly, more as an ambassador of the Kingdom than a missionary of the gospel, though there are elements of both in what I do and how I do it.

From the beginning, when I was first hired at the store as a part-time geezer bagger, I attempted to function as a servant, a slave even, of the store's customers as well as my co-workers. And, I believe that I was viewed as a servant by most people.

And, I found a sort of joy in the job and how I did it.

But, the joy was, and still is, a sort of secondary joy.

I serve one and all because Jesus commands His disciples to be servants. I don't do it because serving comes naturally, or even easily, to me.

On the job, I'm serving Jesus, not the person in front of me.

And, I'm fine with that. Jesus taught that self-denial is essential to those who would follow Him. Many times in a day on this job, I have opportunity to deny myself.

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But, there's a guy I work with who seems to totally groove on the job of being in the role of a servant.

He's a bagger and, moment by moment, he seems to be in his element, going above and beyond in serving the customers, as well as his co-workers.

And, what he does day in and day out seems to come from the core of who he is. Serving seems to bring him a joy that is essential to who he is, not, as it is in my case, a secondary joy.

He serves organically. I serve intentionally.

I've known him now for more than four years and he seems to be a natural servant who finds joy in setting aside his own interest for the benefit of others.

He is good at serving, creative about it.

He proclaims himself to be a believer in Jesus and his lifestyle highlights his talk.

Man, do I, well, envy him!

No doubt, he has his own spiritual struggles. But, what gives him joy reinforces his claim to be a man of God.

How great is that!