the unamerican parable

"Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and recline at table'? Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink'? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"

-jesus, in luke 17:7-10

this is one of my favorite parables. its hard to exactly describe why, but i just love it because its so anti american christianity where everyone thinks that they are the center of God's universe (see: God's little princess bible, gag me with a spoon).

we should be serving God in realization of our own unworthiness, without demanding our service be recognized.   our continual thought should be "we are unworthy.  praise Him, praise Him."   

praise Him because he doesn't need us, praise Him because he allows us to serve him.