I heard an interesting story recently about a Mongolian businessman—a Christian—who was finalizing a business deal. After meeting with the another Mongolian gentleman over the details of their arrangement he asked to be excused to the other room so that, “I can ask my owner what I should do.”
The other man thought this was a bit strange at first because as far as he knew, the man he was dealing with was the owner of the company. It also caught his attention because the Mongolian phrase the first man used was a phrase meaning, “my owner,” indicating someone who owned him, not the owner of the company.
The first man excused himself to the adjacent room (which had no telephone) spent some time there by himself, then returned shortly afterwards and concluded the deal.
The second man asked him how he reached his owner since the room had no phone and the first man had not brought his cell phone with him. The first man smiled at the natural misunderstanding and went on to tell the second man about his Owner, Jesus Christ.
Brilliant.
Much of what we express to others through our Christian experience will communicate who Christ is, or is not. This man held Christ in a lofty position, he ascribed to him Lordship of every area of his life—even his business dealings. (That’s not something you see too often in Mongolia). He didn’t view Christ as the owner of all he had, he viewed Christ as the owner of his very self. He saw Christ correctly, for who He really is—Lord.
What position does Christ occupy in your life? Is he consultant, adviser, teacher, owner?
The Lordship of Jesus Christ demands nothing less than complete and total surrender to him of every facet of our existence. Our thoughts should be in subjection to Him (II Corinthians 10:5), our emotions should be in subjection to Him (Matthew 5:44), our actions and behaviors should be in subjection to Him (Romans 12:1-2).
When we see Christ, and Christ alone as supreme, then we can see transformation in our lives—and in others. He is, after all, already Lord, and already Supreme, and already Owner.