Workers

God’s fellow workers “watch out for your souls, as those who must give account.” Heb. 13:17.

Many of those who must give account for the souls under their care say, “People are sluggish, rebellious, apathetic; they are carnal.” But how have you dealt with these souls? How have you conducted yourself while you were working with them? The account given includes not only the result, but also how the work has been executed. Every detail must be carefully included.

James writes, “Let not many of you become teachers . . . .” And with the ministry in view, Paul said that we are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. Rom. 12:3. Not everyone thinks this soberly when it concerns the measure of grace he has received for serving. Paul did not go beyond his measure. He saw what needed to be cared for, and he also saw the limits of his ministry. Jesus said, “I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” Not more than that, and not anything besides that. He just did the work to which He had been called.

God calls a man to do only the work for which he is suited. Matt. 25:15. He never appoints anyone to do something that he is incapable of doing. The person who goes beyond his capability is a daredevil—he goes beyond and outside of God’s will in his work for God, and the fruits are accordingly.

It is good to know one’s limits, and it is good to tread carefully where one does not have wisdom. Better to treat a soul carefully than with blind audacity. Show humility before you show authority. Do not consider yourself to be competent in anything and everything, and do not conduct yourself as someone who knows it all.

Many people consider themselves competent leaders, teachers, and shepherds, but God has not called them. They act with great piety and cloak themselves in profound knowledge and light so that they sit on the heights together with the Master, and from that vantage point they belittle the light that others have, not showing any regard for the others’ life experiences.

Souls are eternal beings whom Jesus has redeemed with His precious blood. They do not exist as guinea pigs for the sake of those who think they are virtuous. Jesus says, “Pray the Lord of the harvest that He send out laborers into the vineyard.” Then the church of God would be spared from many of those self-proclaimed “laborers” who ruin what others have sown, as well as lay waste to the fields of harvest.

If we value souls like Jesus Christ does, we will gladly—with wisdom, love, longsuffering, and patience—“dig them out” of thick layers of sin and Satan’s power, from carnality, from pride, from heresy, and all the subtle bands of Satan, so that Christ can receive that for which He has paid such a high price.

However, it often becomes apparent that one’s wisdom is quite limited, one’s longsuffering is short, one’s love is cold, and one’s heart is constricted. That is why many mistakes are made and why there is so little longsuffering with souls; one rather lets them go their own way than suffer for them. It is easier to call souls “rebellious” and let them go than it is to be humble and suffer. Only he who is great in himself according to the flesh can act like that. Paul came to the Corinthians in “much fear and trembling,” and not like a taskmaster, or like someone who overstepped his bounds. He came to them as someone whose goal it was to reach right into their very hearts.

Attempt to meet souls on their level. 1 Cor. 9:22. Give them love. 1 Pet. 3:8. Lead their thoughts away from soulish and human things to the divine. Give them encouragement; do not beat them down. 1 Thess. 2:11-12, 5:14.

Endeavor to be like a voice that calls and shows them the way to God for what they need; but do not pressure them. Be willing to step aside and give everyone ample opportunity to undergo a personal training in godliness. Do not dwell on the fact that you are being used in this work.

Try to find out how God is working with a soul, and be a co-worker with God’s Spirit for that soul; be willing to wait for him. Jas. 5:7. Take care lest you cause the soul with whom you are working to go beyond his appointed measure, that you do not hinder God in His work. 2 Cor. 7:1.

Do not belittle a brother’s life experience as though it amounted to nothing. Acknowledge what is true about him, and lead him from light to new light. Do not scold a soul for not seeing everything at once. Job 36:15, 16:12; 1 Cor. 3:2.

Endeavor to promote the unity of the Spirit. Eph. 4:3. Do not make anyone a “sinner” on account of something he might have said. Do not be rash, but fear.