It is so easy to tell someone else what they should do. The old adage is true, if you point a finger at someone else you have two pointing back at you. The more important thing than telling others what they should do is seeing and accepting, what we should do personally.
This kind of personal responsibility is a bedrock of Quaker thinking, historically. And it is One of the biggest reasons why I am a deeply convinced Friend, (IE Quaker).
This teaching of individual accountability is deeply important. That each member of the body of Christ is equally responsible before God, to fulfill their own calling of service.
If you are honestly centering your life around Christ, This teaching is critical and must be prayerfully applied. In truth, all of us are called to be ministers (IE servants) and not just the pulpit leader.
Old school Quakers, I do not see the like of today, anywhere; (including in the Quaker church), deeply taught me the truth of this understanding. Their solid thinking is summed well, in the following quotation:
“Quakers were seldom mere followers; they were all involved as participants in what seemed to them an important undertaking. Other Christian leaders, including Martin Luther, had announced the priesthood of every believer as a Doctrine, but these new people came close to demonstrating it as a fact. The most striking single aspect of the New Movement was what might be called the “priesthood of every member.” Each, as he was shaken, undertook to shake others; each little fire accepted the grave responsibility of starting other fires in other human hearts.” D. Elton Trueblood – The People Called Quakers , 1966 /
This is a profoundly important concept. And a good foundation for embracing Christ’s example in daily living.
It is also one of the reasons why Christian faith has not continued to spread like wildfire, as it should have. Each Christ follower should be seen as a devoted minister and not just certain ones, who cherish the title.
This was an understood component of the Quakers of old. Even though the truth of this thought has really disappeared even from Quakerdom, today.
Yet still in my heart, I cherish this precept now; whether it is a popular notion or not. In fact, it is one of the most significant reasons, why I am still and will continue to be, a Quaker.
I understand that part of my Quaker faith is accepting my Responsibility to be a minister to Christ; and also to you, my fellow man! Furthermore, I see and am committed to call each of you brothers and sisters, to accept your own calling to serve.
This should be a critical building block of our Christian conscience. And it should be the primary work of being a Christian.
Accepting and fulfilling our assigned work, in God’s kingdom should be the target of every Christ follower. Not just the mission of preachers. {See: for further reading on the subject; Gal. 5:13, Mt. 23:11, 1 Pet. 4:10, 1 Cor. 12:4-11 & Mk. 16:15}
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gutsisthekey 