My God, without merit on my part, of His pure and free mercy, has given to me, an unworthy, condemned, and contemptible creature, all the riches of justification and salvation in Christ, so that I no longer am in want of anything, except of faith to believe that this is so. For such a Father then, who has overwhelmed me with these inestimable riches of His, why should I not freely, cheerfully, and with my whole heart and from voluntary zeal, do all that I know will be pleasing to Him, and acceptable in His sight? I will therefore give myself, as a sort of Christ, to my neighbour, as Christ has given Himself to me; and will do nothing in this life, except what I see will be needful, advantageous, and wholesome for my neighbour, since by faith I abound in all good things in Christ.
–Martin Luther
This quote from Martin Luther is straight from God’s Word which tells us…
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Consider others as more important than yourself.
Do nothing with your freedom that would cause someone else to stumble in their walk with God.
Therefore, because of how Jesus served us and has blessed us so much, we are to embrace this final sentence of Luther’s quote so very closely:
I will give myself to my neighbors (my fellow man) as Christ has given Himself for me – willing to be an absolute servant to them – and I will do nothing in this life except what is helpful to others.
Wow, that is a tall order. But it is my calling.