PUT ON YOUR APRON

PUT ON YOUR APRON

"For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth" - Luke  22:27 

One day, while attending an early morning prayer meeting on the Island, the Pastor announced that brethren should please wait behind to help rearrange the chairs and dismantle the canopies. After the service, I gladly waited and joined to serve. On my way back to the office, someone approached me and told me that he was surprised to see me parking chairs and dismantling canopies. I told him that he should rather be surprised if I had not waited to serve. If Jesus came to serve, then what audacity or effrontery do we have not to do likewise (Luke 22:27). Indeed, it is a great privilege to walk in the Master's footsteps. Our saviour demonstrated the above scripture, when he wore his apron, rolled up his sleeve, fetched water and began to wash his disciples feet (John 13:4-17). What a great display of genuine humility and true service to humanity by the Anointed One himself? 

Beloved, there are two categories of people in the household of faith today. The first category are those who are always ready to roll up their sleeve for God. People in this category are very few in the vineyard and are known as "The Labourers"- (Luke 10:2). The second category are those who watch others do the work while they sit and look. These people have anointing for excuse and compliant. Their designation in the kingdom is " The Glorified Supervisor (GS)". 

"Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest."  - Luke  10:2

Jesus Christ detests the Glorified Supervisor in every generation but He loves to see the Faithful Labourers increase in his vineyard.  According to Luke 10:2, He told His disciples categorically to pray for God to send more labourers and not supervisors into his vineyard. Our saviour couldn't have done otherwise since God The Father himself was not a supervisor but an active or super committed worker/labourer ( John 5:17, 1 Corinthians 3:9). The Bible also records that Jesus did not supervise the Evangelistic Outreach in the early church but he worked/laboured with them as co-labourer  (Mark 16:20). As highly anointed as Apostle Paul was, he did not promote himself to the office of Supervisor in the early church. The only title they called themselves in those days is "fellow labourers" not "fellow supervisors" (Philippians 4:3). Unfortunately, many people in church today have ordained themselves into the office of "glorified supervisors". They are sitting on the fence, watching few people serving. Then, I begin to wonder whether these people are more anointed than Jesus Christ or Apostle Paul!

Friends, which category do you belong to? Please be sincere with yourself. Are you a kingdom labourer or supervisor? Do you still feel excited doing menial work in the vineyard of God? Have you become too big to serve God in roles that are self-effacing? I hope your achievement has not gone into your head. I hope your ordination and bible college certifications have not turned you to a kingdom supervisor. No wonder your life is barren! Have you forgotten that God never promised to reward the supervisors in His kingdom. Only the hired labourers are qualified to be blessed, honoured, decorated here on earth and in the city of Gold (1 Timothy 5:18, Matthew 20:8, John 12:26 ). If our Saviour can put on His own apron, then I urge you to please put on your own apron today and start serving God and humanity with humility. 

"God In An Apron" is the title of a great poem that shows the true humility and service that Jesus Christ demonstrated in John 13:4-17. May I urge you to prayerfully meditate on the words of this poem below and trust God for grace to resign from the exalted position of a supervisor you created for yourself in His vineyard.  

GOD IN AN APRON! by Macrina Wiederkehr

God in an apron!
Tenderness encircled us
 as He bowed before us.
He knelt and said,
 “I choose to wash your feet
 because I love you.”

God in an apron, kneeling.
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
I was embarrassed
 until His eyes met mine.
I sensed my value then.
He touched my feet.
He held them in His strong, brown hands.
He washed them.
I can still feel the water.
I can still feel the touch of His hands.
I can still see the look in His eyes.

Then He handed me the towel
and said,
“As I have done,
 so you must do.”
Learn to bow.
Learn to kneel.

Let your tenderness encircle
 everyone you meet.
Wash their feet–
 not because you have to–
but because you want to.

It seems I’ve stood two thousand years
 holding that towel in my hands.
“As I have done, so must you do,”
 keeps echoing in my heart.

“There are so many feet to wash,”
 I keep saying.
“No.” I hear God’s voice
 resounding through the years.
“There are only My feet.
What you do for them,
 you do for Me.”

My prayer for you and my humble self is that we shall receive grace to put on our apron of true service to God and humanity this day. May we see every opportunity to serve as a platform to act as Christ's ambassadors in our world. And as we render faithful service to God, the rewarder of labourers Himself shall honour us here on earth and in the city of gold above in Jesus name. Amen.  

Good morning and God bless you in Jesus name.

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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