A Pause to Ponder God's Word
"Pierced Ear?"

Today in the United States many young people are getting involved in what is called body piercing. Various places in their body are pierced and a metal ring or stem is placed in the whole. The reason for doing this and the statement being made by those who do it are a mystery to me. But I am aware of a form of "body piercing" recorded in Scripture which was done for a very specific reason. In Deuteronomy 15:12-18, slaves who are being set free by their master after six years of service, could, if they loved and were loved by their master, choose to remain a slave to him. If they chose to remain a slave, the master was to place the slave's ear against a door post, take an awl and push it through his ear lobe. This ear piercing was the visible sign of the slave's life long servitude to his master. He was a love slave; one who willingly submitted to servitude in love for his master.

Herein lies a picture of the Christian. Many times in the New Testament we are called to be servants (slaves) of Christ. Peter, Paul, James, and Jude referred to themselves as "servants of Jesus Christ" in their epistles. This is not a forced servitude. It is a choice made in love! In view of God's mercy and love for us, the most reasonable act is to give our whole selves to Him in loving service. There is no greater honor or identity than being "the servant of Jesus Christ." Paul joyously proclaimed, "Thanks be to God, that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you whole heartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."

Though ear piercing was the visible sign of life long servitude in the Old Testament, the New Testament reveals a different visible sign for servitude to Christ; a life lived in obedience to God. "Do you not know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey?" (Romans 6:16) Our slavery to Christ is revealed by living to please God, not men. (Galatians 1:10). It is a life that does not abuse the freedom in Christ, but freely chooses to be His servant. It is a life lived loving, caring, and serving others. (1 Peter 2:16) Our identity as Christ's servant is not revealed by outward adornment or body piercing. It is revealed through character, attitude, and life action. It is a life so patterned after our Master that when people see us they will, like they did long ago in Antioch, say: "you are those Christ-people, Christians." (Acts 11:26)

When the prodigal son returned home from the far country he fell before his father and humbly ask, "make me your servant." (Luke 15:19,21) He, in essence, was saying to the father, "pierce my ear." The father made him a son, but the attitude of the son's heart had changed to the heart of a servant. So it must be with us. Only then will we live a "pierced ear" life, revealing to all that we are servants of Jesus Christ!

Keep Close to Jesus
Pastor Gerry


A Pause To Ponder God's Word is written and distributed by Gerald Whetstone, Ordained Elder and teacher in the Church of the Nazarene. These devotionals may be transmitted, duplicated, used in part or in entirety without permission for nonprofit purposes only. Responses welcome. To Subscribe Click Here.
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