I am learning. This is a slow process for me as I am a firm believer in the ignorance is bliss approach to life. Unfortunately the bliss of ignorance is always short lived when tyrants are about.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luke 16:10-13
Be it at your place of work, your school, your church even your own family there are those that seek to use you. In my own life I have struggled to curb my own sinful predisposition to use other people. The temptation is to see everyone around me as a resource to be exploited. This is a relationship killer. When people become pawns in a game I create to please myself and profit my schemes, I have lost the essence of what it is to be a disciple of Christ. How do you combat this in a world which promotes this very idea as a path to success and a behavior to be encouraged? Simply do not participate in the practice of eating those around you.
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Galatians 5:14-18
Too many folks treat business like charity and charity like a business. The constant awareness of every task completed in expectation of compensation. This is even more troublesome in the world of the “not for profit”. There are many folks who are quite adept at creating strategic dependencies within a group. They do something they misrepresent as delegation but is in reality parasitism. They convince their hosts they are quite necessary to the survival of the organism and stealthily entwine themselves around all the vital organs. Everyone does as they are told and despite the fact that organism continues to become more and more anemic everyone is artfully kept in the dark while the parasite profits.
Here is the trick. A parasite can never be removed without some measure of harm to the host. This is not a good reason to sit by and allow the relationship to continue. If the parasite is left entangled it will reproduce itself exponentially and the host will starve to death under the strain made by the legion of individuals and their ever increasing demands for resources. The parasite must be removed and the cost must be mitigated.
My challenge and yours is to be vigilant always not to be a parasite ourselves and to speak up when we are aware that others are behaving in this way. We need to be directly accountable to God our Father and seek His counsel first and foremost in all circumstances. We are all guilty and must therefore react firmly and always with Love. We must be the lowliest of servants.
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Matthew 23:8-12
Be a brother or sister who encourages everyone around you to excellence. Discourage unhealthy dependencies and gently point everyone to Jesus. Do all of this for nothing and you will be free and have a joy filled life.
