OceanSide church of Christ
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I
DON’T DO WINDOWS
Victor M. Eskew
The statement that entitles this article was heard often when this writer
was growing up. Women were entering
the workplace and leaving the home.
This left them with less time to take care of the household
responsibilities. Thus, maids
(house cleaners) were hired. It
wasn’t long before maids learned that their employers wanted them to do all
kinds of chores around the house, including cleaning windows. This was a laborious task that the maid
did not want to do. She quickly
learned that when she was interviewing for a new job to tell her employer: “I don’t do windows.” In the movie, “Mrs. Doubtfire,” there is
a play upon this concept when a maid was being hired. This maid, however, had a laundry list
of things that she would not do.
This attitude seems to be prevalent among many Christians. As children of God, we have been called
to be servants. Jesus set the
standard of servanthood while in the upper room with His disciples. “He riseth from supper, and laid aside
his garments; and took a towel, and girded
himself. After that he poured water
into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the
towel where-with he was girded….So after he had washed their feet, and had
taken
his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I
have done to you? Ye call me Master
and Lord: and ye say well; for
so
I am. If I then, your Lord
and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s
feet. For I have given you an
example, that ye should do as I have done to you. The servant is not greater than his
lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if
ye do them” (John 13:4-17). Jesus,
the Master, did to His disciples what they should have done to one another. Humbly, He took the lowly position of a
servant and washed each of their feet.
He, then, exhorted His apostles to do as He had done to them, that is,
serve in any lowly capacity needed.
As a member of the body of Christ, one quickly learns that there are
multitudes of tasks that need to be done.
Many Christians, however, do not enjoy some of these tasks. They cost a lot of time. They do not always bring a rush of
positive emotions. Some of them can
be difficult and laborious. They do
not put wealth into the pocketbook.
There is often little gratitude expressed for a job well done. Occasionally, there may be some expense
involved. And, occasionally, there
will someone who complains about the efforts that have been put forth. For these and other reasons, Christians
have developed their own lists of things they will not do. They have become much like the maids who
don’t do windows.
There are some Christians who don’t do Sunday morning Bible class. Commonly, those who don’t do Bible class
involve ¼ to 1/3 of the members of the local congregation. They do not want to lose one hour of
sleep on their day off. They do not
want to have to sit through a 45-minute class listening to a subject that
doesn’t interest them. They get
irritated when the teacher stresses lessons that are “too close to home.” It upsets them when some obnoxious
brother or sister continually tries to teach class from their seat. Thus, they just don’t do Bible
class.
Those who don’t do Bible class need to consider at least two verses from
the Bible. One involves the words
of our Lord. “But he answered and
said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). The other comes from the pen of the
apostle Peter. “As newborn babes,
desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (I Peter
2:2). These verses teach us the
importance of God’s Word in our lives, and our responsibility to desire the Word
with great intensity. Most brethren
who refuse to come to Bible class are poor students of the Word at home as
well. Dear readers, it is
imperative that we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (II
Peter 3:18). Bible classes afford
us an opportunity to grow and mature.
There are others in the Lord’s body who don’t do Sunday evening worship
services. In some congregations,
this number consists of half the membership. This group reasons that the Sunday
evening service is not commanded by God, therefore, they are under no obligation
to attend. Apparently, they have
better things to do with their time on the Lord’s Day. Worshipping God two times in one day is
just too much. They see no
spiritual benefit in assembling with the saints for a second period of worship
to God.
The problem these individuals have is addressed by Jesus in Matthew
15:8. “This people draweth nigh
unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is
far from me.” The Lord’s Day is
really only the Lord’s hour to these disciples. Gladness does not fill their heart when
it is said: “Let us go up to the
house of the Lord” (Ps. 122:1).
Spiritual food and rich fellowship does not energize these
individuals. Gratitude does not
fill their soul, compelling them to bow before their Redeemer at every
opportunity. No, their hearts are
far from God. These brethren would
be wise to consider the counsel of Hebrews 3:12: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in
any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living
God.”
A third group in many congregations are those who don’t do any programs
of the church. These individuals
are never part of a visitation team or involvement group. The ladies of this group will never
attend a ladies’ class or ladies’ day.
The men refuse to go to the men’s breakfast and men’s Bible study
group. They are absent when work
days are scheduled. They are not to
be seen when door-knocking campaigns are conducted. Workshops and seminars are a “no-no” to
them. They never stay for
fellowship meals. They have never
attended a wedding, a shower, or a funeral involving one of their brothers or
sisters in Christ. The hospitals
and nursing homes are off limits to them.
All these things are too demanding.
Their hectic schedules and busy lives will not allow such religious
activity.
This group has failed to realize that we have been called to be laborers
in the Lord’s vineyard. “For the
kingdom of heaven is like a man that is an householder, which went out early in
the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard” (Matt. 20:1). The requirement of a laborer is that he
works. The programs and activities
of the church help the Christian to fulfill his obligation to work in the
vineyard. Church programs help us
to discipline our time to accomplish some of the things God desires of us. When understood in this light,
participating in events and programs should bring us great joy. The Lord wants us to always be
doing. “And the Lord said, Who then
is that faithful and wise servant, whom his lord shall make ruler over his
household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord
when he cometh shall find so doing.
Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he
hath” (Luke 12:42-44).
A maid might have the luxury of setting the guidelines of her job. A Christian, on the other hand, does
not. When a person obeys the gospel
of Christ, he submits himself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He becomes a bondservant. The Lord’s will is now his will. He does not question. He does not complain. He does not rationalize and justify his
lack of service. He does not “beg
off” his duties. He does not sit
idly on the sidelines. His life is
fully engaged in the Lord’s will until He comes. “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord
when he cometh shall find so doing” (Luke 12:43).