Luke 17:7

and which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'come at once and sit down to eat'?

plowing the fields or tending the sheep are hard working jobs... but just because they have that job does not change their place/position. they are still a slave. even when they go away from that job that doesn't mean that they get a higher position because they did those jobs, or they get a special treatment! they did the job they were told to do and that's that! they don't expect anything special, they only did the job they were told to do. I am a bond-servant to Christ. I am nothing special for doing something that I am commanded to do, I am just a slave (I am also a child of God! but none the less... a slave) I do not get to place myself in a greater position because I have done a hard job or anything like that, I need to merely be glad that I get to do a task for my Master.

P.S after writing this and reading it over, I've realized that I've been using the wrong word. I've been using the word slave, but the real word should be Bond-Servant! God does not force me to do his work! he allows me to! he is such in incredible master that I want to serve him! a servant implies that he has to do something and it's not out of his desire! God paid a price for me, but he set me free! doing his deeds is no chore, it is something that I've been allowed to do! but none the less, I have no higher standing. just a servant that wants to serve a master that is gracious, merciful, powerful, full of love, beautiful... well you get the idea. serving my master is better then being free

application
all this week I will look for opportunities to die to self and also look up one or two stories of christian slaves (to try to get a idea of what it really means to be a slave)