Everyone in the world wants to be significant, but what does it mean to be significant? Believers have a much different idea about significance than the world. The world values fame, money, and control.
Jesus said to Pilate, (John 18:36) “My kingdom is not of this world.”
Believers find their significance in the invisible Kingdom. Like a parent that sacrifices to help their children, spiritual people sacrifice the tangible for the treasures of the Spirit. What are these spiritual treasures, and how do we get them?
Matthew 23:11; “But the greatest of you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
Humility and servanthood are crucial to advance in the Kingdom of God. Yet humility and servanthood must be carefully understood. You will hear Christians say, and rightfully so, “submission can lead to abusive relationships”. How can we avoid oppression or recognize being in it already? By keeping foremost in our mind, the goal is not to serve people; the goal is to serve God, as He directs us to serve people. If God is our focus, we live in blessings of His Kingdom.
The standard line regarding abusive relationships is, get out. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a relationship that does not have to endure interactions that feel like abuse. “Escape” is not the only solution to difficult relationships. There are lots of wonderful testimonies of relationships withered by drugs, alcohol, infidelity, neglect, or abuse, that have been turned to a wonderful blessing by the power of God. How do you know which way to go?
Hebrews 5:7 In the days of His humanity, He (Jesus) offered up both prayers and pleas with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His devout behavior. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him.
Jesus was challenged with horrible abuse. He was not delivered from it but through it. He learned obedience through suffering and His suffering brought deliverance to millions.
So, the response in a difficult relationship, indeed any difficulty is, “What does God want me to do?”
God wants us, to want to be big in His Kingdom. The way we become big in His kingdom is to get smaller in the scale of this world and keep our eyes fixed on the greatness He promised when that Kingdom is revealed.
John 3:30, He must increase, but I must decrease.
Blessings.