Power of Sonship

I've been talking a lot in church lately about the difference between consumers, servants and sons.

• Consumers- these people just turn up at church to get their needs met. They are happy to contribute money, but not themselves. They will stay as long as church makes them feel good
• Servants- they have a level of commitment to the organisation. They will give a certain amount of themselves but are ultimately looking for a reward. In a sense you have their heads, but not their hearts.
• Sons- these people give their heart to the father of the house. They are motivated by relationship not by reward. They will follow the father to the ends of the earth and will ultimately reap a spiritual inheritance.

I saw this illustrated the other day when I needed to fill the gas bottle for my barbecue.

Our gas bottle is getting quite old and we've been thinking about trading it in for a "Swap and Go" service instead of the traditional get the bottle filled method. So I went to the Caltex garage, and after reading the sign outside, I took my bottle in. The girl at the counter refused to take my 4.5 kg bottle because, she said, "We only do 9 or 10 kg bottles." This was despite the sign that said clearly "You can upgrade your existing smaller bottle to one of ours."

So I went across the road to the friendly family hardware store, McKechnie Brothers, where the people there quickly and efficiently filled my bottle.

Interesting contrast. The employee is not even a servant- she is just there because they pay her to attend. She has the attitude of a consumer, even though she's on the other side of the counter. At the family-owned store, I was served by a son- the family business is not just his livelihood, he has a vested interest in seeing it grow and prosper.

Oh for more sons in the church!

Blessings

Keith