“But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”
The apostle Paul, in his epistles, did not overly concern himself with, “What meaneth this,” but rather, “What saith the scriptures?” And so will we in this article. The greatest authority that ever graced this earth said you do not thank someone for doing their duty. Why? Because it’s their duty!
Don’t misunderstand me, gratitude is always in style. Showing appreciation for one's service is commendable, but still it is required and expected.
It is not the tithe, it is the freewill offerings. It is not the first mile that counts with God, but the second. And it is only when you feel the sting of pain on the opposite cheek that you know duty has ended and something of a different nature has begun.
It is not until duty has been fulfilled and a voluntary sacrifice has entered that Divine recognition looks your way. The Lord’s, “Well Done, thou good and faithful servant,” goes to those who exceeded their expectations. Those who have gone over and beyond their call to duty.
“Behind all true loving sacrifice there was first a duty fulfilled.”
(rds)
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