ANDERSON CHURCH OF CHRIST

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SERVING OUR MASTER                                  by Forrest McMurray

Many years ago, in some of the strictest martial arts schools, the student master relationship was vastly different than today. The student would pay his tuition, and for 7 years the student would receive little to no instruction on the art form.  The student would clean the school, fetch water for the older students, and assist the master in a number of chores. The student would hear pieces of his master’s lectures and catch glimpses of movement from the practicing students, but his main job was that of a servant.            

After his probationary period he would then begin to receive instruction from his master. He would not receive daily instruction. But he was expected to practice daily what he had been taught, until he had mastered the movement. The student would strive to perfect what he had been shown, many times practicing from sunrise to sunset throughout the week, in order to show his master that he was not wasting his time and that he was worthy of more instruction. The student would have been ashamed if he went a day without practice, a day without finishing his chores, or if he forgot to pay his monthly tuition.          

In our day and time the master student relationship can be described as a business transaction. The student pays a fee and expects service from his master. Many times the student will not train at home and then blames the teaching of the master when he shows no sign of improvement. The master is expected to keep his school clean and presentable for the students. The master is expected to live up to the expectations of the student. The student feels no shame for disappointing his master but rather feels that his master owes him for the money he has given him.         

Sadly this same attitude that our society has adopted has slipped its way into many people’s spiritual lives. Many Christians put money in the plate at church, sit down in the pew and expect to be served. They want to be entertained by the sermon, moved by the singing, the unleavened bread better have enough salt in it, the grape juice better be cold, and the prayers better not bore them.       

When we come together to worship our master, our goal is to please Him. We should be ashamed to show up unprepared. We should strive to show him we are grateful for His instruction. He should be able to look at us and tell that we have been practicing His instruction in our daily lives, not just when we come together.