Our book review this month is Improving Your Serve, by Dr. Charles Swindoll.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
Dr. Swindoll uses this verse as a contrast to what the world around us would lead us to believe. In our author’s typical satirical fashion, he comments that philosophers are people who talk about something they don’t understand, and then they make you think it’s your fault that you don’t understand them!
His synopsis of popular philosophies:
- Greece said, Be wise; know yourself.
- Rome said, Be strong; discipline yourself.
- Religion says, Be good; conform yourself.
- Epicurianism says, Be sensuous; enjoy yourself.
- Education says, Be resourceful; expand yourself.
- Psychology says, Be confident; assert yourself.
- Materialism says, Be satisfied; please yourself.
- Pride says, Be superior; promote yourself.
- Asceticism says, Be lowly; suppress yourself.
- Humanism says, Be capable; believe in yourself.
- Legalism says, Be pious; limit yourself.
- Philanthropy says, Be generous; release yourself.
Take your pencil and circle all that apply to you. Could you circle all of them at different times in your life? How about now? How are you “feeling” right now?
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4). For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake (2 Corinthians 4:5).
The opposing views are very defined in this book: the Word of God vs. the words of man. In 212 pages, Charles Swindoll applies:
- What it means to be a servant in the truest sense.
- What it takes to be a servant.
- How to think like a servant.
- The powerful influence a servant can have.
- The dangers a servant must face.
- The rewards a servant can expect.
- The internal struggles connected with learning to be a servant.
Posted on May 1st, 2010 by Scott
Filed under: From the Church Library