Worthy of Service

1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.

 

If you have the privilege of serving God, then it is because he considered you trustworthy. Have you ever stopped to think about that? 

Before you get a big head about that, though, you might want to consider this; it is all about God and not you. God used a lump of clay to make the first man. Then, he formed and shaped that man into his image. Adam was the crowning creation. His beginning, however, was dirty. And it didn't take long for Adam to return to the mud. He soon disobeyed the only rule that existed and not long afterward returned to dust. 

The fact that anyone might be considered worthy of service is again all about God and not you. In 1 Timothy 1, Paul goes through an interesting list of sinners to describe the wonder of God's choice. At the end of his list, he makes an incredible statement. He says that he, Paul, was the worst of sinners. 

He then says the following in 1:16, But for that very reason, I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

Did you see that? Christ's immense patience was displayed in his choice of Paul. The reason? To show you, and all who would believe, that only by his grace is anyone worthy of service. So, as Paul stated elsewhere, "it is God who works in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure." So there you have it is. You are worthy of service because God was patient with you, and in the end, it is he, not you, who gets the glory.