Masters at Giving Themselves Wholly
. . . give thyself wholly to them; . . .
1 Timothy 4:15
SERPENTS ARE WISE BECAUSE THEY GIVE THEMSELVES WHOLLY
A serpent is a slim long tube that moves sleekly on the ground. And yet, it is able to kill and swallow huge four-legged antelopes. It is a wonder to watch a python swallow a huge antelope together with its horns, hoofs and head. What an amazing creature that is able to overcome another animal ten times its size. What kind of wisdom is this? What kind of wisdom does a serpent use?
The wisdom of a serpent is the wisdom of giving itself wholly to its task. A serpent gives itself wholly to its vision and purpose. You should watch a snake using its whole body to kill its prey. Pythons, anacondas and boa constrictors kill their prey by constricting their prey with the entire length of their body. The snake tightens its coils around the prey to suffocate it.
Indeed, it uses its entire body to engulf its prey. Each time a captured animal takes a breath, the snake tightens its hold. The snake squeezes so tightly that its prey cannot breathe.
Snakes give themselves wholly to the killing of their prey. What has God called you to do? Pastors should give themselves wholly to the ministry. Many people do not give themselves fully to the ministry. Give yourself totally to your God-given work. Do not be impressed by ministers of the gospel who proudly tell you about the business they do on the side. You must have a special calling to be involved in para-business hybrid ministries! The Bible tells us to give ourselves wholly to the ministry. If you give yourself wholly to the ministry, you will see a great difference in your life.
Perhaps, if you were to give yourself wholly to ministry, you would become more anointed and help many more people. Perhaps if you were to give yourself wholly to the ministry, many more people would be saved. Your hybrid ministry is not yielding the results that it should. Paul did not encourage para-business ministry hybrids. He said you should give yourself wholly to the ministry and to the call of God.
Jesus gave himself fully to the ministry and bore much fruit. Our Lord Jesus was a carpenter. At a point, He laid aside carpentry, and went fully into preaching, teaching and healing. What would have happened to us if He had continued to build a para-carpentry hybrid ministry? Where did we learn to develop these hybrid ministries? ‘Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus…’ (Philippians 2:5)
Peter gave himself fully to the ministry and bore much fruit. Peter was a fisherman. But a time came when he had to stop fishing and follow the Lord. That was full time ministry. Peter said, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” ‘(Mark 10:28)
Paul gave himself fully to the ministry and bore much fruit. Paul was also a tent maker. But a time came when he gave himself wholly to the Lord and the benefits were seen by all. He considered every other thing, apart from the call of God, as pure rubbish. ‘More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but
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