…Do not look upon me, because I am dark, Because the sun has tanned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; They made me the keeper of the vineyards, But my own vineyard I have not kept.
This is a constant human condition. We stay so busy. We work to please others, but do not take the time to look after ourselves. Especially those of us who labor in the church.
The Bride in this verse is fed up with laboring for her brothers and sisters in Christ and never seeming to please. All the while, her own spiritual life has sunk into the pits! Her worship ministry to the church is flourishing (though there’s always someone who’s not happy) but her private time with the Lord is nonexistentt.
She started out serving with such zeal, because she discovered the unquenchable love of Jesus. “I’m dark, but oh, so lovely,” she declared.
Being young, and zealous, she pressed her shoulder to the wheel and signed up for every committee at church, was first in line every time the doors opened and guess what, it left her tired, poor and unsatisfied.
Her brothers in Christ did not appreciate her, not compliment her, nor affirm her like she thought. Now, she’s burnt out, tired and unfulfilled.
She’s not kept her life hidden in her Beloved. She’s not discovered that He is her exceedingly great reward. (Gen 15:1)
So goes our journey in Jesus. We cannot expect for men and women to approve us. We cannot serve because they want us to serve, or because we want their praise and approval. We must only do those things, in right order and under authority, that Jesus calls us to do.
For me, I know my primary ministry is with Tony and the youth, Fire Dweller, and prayer. So, when there is a couples event at our church on a Friday night, we don’t go. Why? Because we are committed to Friday night prayer with five other churches. There is peace. There is understanding among our “brothers” that we are called to do something else. But, we love and support them.
What has God called you to do? Are you doing it? Are you doing things out of obligation, or for the praise of men, that God is not calling you to do? Does your soul feel overwhelmed and weedy?
We must take care of our own life in God or we will be spiritual statistics. Once in love, but now scorned and burned because we put our identity in what men think of us, not what Jesus thinks of us.
Now, lest you think you can run away and hide from the Body of Christ and go it alone, Jesus and Me, stay tuned for tomorrow and verse seven and eight.