A Healthy Addiction

1 Corinthians 16: 15          (Common English Bible)

Brothers and sisters, I encourage you to do something else. You know that the people in Stephanas’ household were the first crop of the harvest to come from the mission to Achaia. They have dedicated themselves to the service of God’s people.

Paul urged his followers as he urges us today to emulate the household of Stephanas and dedicate ourselves to the service of the saints. The King James version of this verse says that they addicted themselves to serving God’s people. If we are to have an addition, that is the one to have.

Christians generally accept the idea of service but I am not sure that we are always clear about how our service will manifest. Paul clarifies this for us. We serve the Lord Jesus through our devotion to his people. John told us the same thing but in a roundabout way. “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4: 20). We express our love for the Father by extending his grace, mercy and gifts to this people. We bless people with our means and serve them every way we can. Let us become addicted to serving God’s people and so honor our God.