When we are serving God’s people, our aim should not be to profit from our service. This is especially important when it may be to the detriment of those we serve. We should plough all of the resources into serving people and meeting the needs of those we serve, and of the poor.
“Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.”
Nehemiah 5:14-16 NIV
We who are God’s people should be trustworthy with no corruption in us, and we must not be negligent in our work.
“At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.”
Daniel 6:4 NIV
Some principles of service for us to adopt are demonstrated further in the verses below:
“But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.””
2 Kings 22:7 NIV
http://bible.com/111/2ki.22.7.niv
“Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him: “Your officials have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the workers and supervisors at the temple.”
2 Kings 22:9 NIV
The workers, supervisors of the carpenters, and builders, of the temple were known for their integrity. We who are building God’s temple today, leaders, workers, should be known for our integrity, for honesty in our dealings.
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
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