Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

In this era of LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, and the like, we are so concerned about connections, friends, followers, and likes that it consumes our thoughts.

We self-promote and pray for popularity.

Well, I don’t think anyone is actually brazen enough to pray, “God, make me popular.” But we often live as if popularity was the answer to a prayer.

We gain our status by who we know, what we’ve done, what we are doing, the places we’ve worked, and the number of “friends,” “followers” and “connections” we have accumulated.

James wrote a book of the Bible. As he opened the letter he introduced himself. He could have said:

• I am the half-brother of Jesus
• I am the leader of the Christian Church
• I chaired the Jerusalem Council

Instead he simply said, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Not even the servant, as if he were distinguished among others, but the indefinite article a servant. The Greek word here (doulos) means:

• A slave
• “One who gives himself up to another’s will for Christ to use his service to advance His cause among men” (Strong’s Greek Dictionary)
• Devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests

Any connections, friends, followers, skills, talents, or opportunities I have are wholly God’s. He gave them to me so I could serve Him and serve others. I am merely a steward of what He’s given me—I AM DOULOS.

(To see a negative example of this, check out my post Trading Truth for Popularity.)

My desire for my eulogy and my tombstone is for it to simply say: “He was a servant.”

I am living to hear my Master say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎