"And so Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness. And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve."
Martin Luther King, The Drum Major Instinct
"Non serviam! Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.”
Satan
"The servant carries out the master’s will. The servant doesn’t tell the master what to do. The servant does not choose which tasks to perform for the master, nor does the servant suggest days or times when it would be convenient to serve the master. The servant’s function is to follow instructions. The master, on the other hand, gives directions. The master does not tell the servant to develop a vision that will guide the master. The master is the one with the vision; the servant’s task is to help fulfill the master’s purposes.
We are the servants; God is the Master. We tend to try to reverse this. God’s revelation of Himself, His purposes, and His ways depends directly upon our obedience. He may not reveal today His intentions for the next five years, but He will tell us what our next step should be. As we respond to God’s revelation, He will accomplish what He desires, and He will be the One who receives the glory. Our fulfillment comes from serving our master.
The world will encourage you to strive for positions of authority and power. God wants you to take the role of a servant. As God’s servant you should have no other agenda than to be obedient to whatever He tells you. God does not need you to dream great dreams for your life, your family, your business, or your church. He simply asks for obedience. He has plans that would dwarf yours in comparison."
Henry Blackaby, Servants of Christ
"God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever."
Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Northeast Portico
Stocks were drifting lower today, but as is customary managed to find a footing after the European close and drifted higher into the green in very quiet trading.
The Dollar fell.
Gold and silver edged higher.
The VIX remains indifferent.
There will be a stock option expiration on Friday.
The phony drama of the 'debt limit crisis' continues on.
Life imitates big time wrestling.
Have a pleasant evening.
