Let’s look at the word, slave: A human being who is owned as property of another; a person having no freedom or personal rights; one dominated by some influence; the most common and general word for servant, originally the lowest term in the scale of servitude; one who gives himself up to the will of another

I went to the Fort Worth Amon Carter Museum the other day and noticed a new sculpture–delicate and beautifully sculpted, but as our docent introduced us to this work of art it was not a pleasant story. It is of a lovely young woman being “displayed” on the slave block. It shows only a part of her upper torso. Her face is turned away and she is looking downward, eyes closed, obviously embarrassed–humiliated–hating where she is and what is happening to her. You see, when a person was being viewed for purchase as a slave, that person was stripped when put on the block so all potential buyers could be sure of the physical condition of the slave he was “bidding” on. So there she stands for everyone to see.
Do you realize that we–you and I–were on the slave block when Jesus “bought” us? We were stripped physically, mentally, and spiritually. Nothing was hidden from His piercing gaze. He saw everything about us–the shameful–our feeble attempts at goodness–the good, the bad, and the ugly. And still He bought us!1 I was a “slave” to the world and there was nothing “beautiful” about me! But–I WAS! Past tense! No longer! I am now a “slave” to the Lord. He bought me! I have been made new! I am no longer ashamed of who I am or what I was! My chin is lifted and I look directly into the eyes of those “evaluating” me. My past is gone–totally forgiven. My future is filled with hope and love! He bought me as I stood humiliated on the slave block! Now I belong to Jesus!
Being a slave is still a stigma in the world. We are slaves to our passions; a slave to some substance; a slave of cruel masters; a slave of bad habits; a slave to seeking what I need–what will benefit me or raise my status in my world; a slave to my selfish desires. But to Believers there is a vast difference in the word. Who elevated the term “slave” from the stigma of the world to the realm of spiritual greatness? Jesus. How? By becoming a slave Himself. 2 Only a person who knows who he is can voluntarily place himself in the position of a slave. Only a person who is confident of being surrounded by love and acceptance and security can become a slave.
Jesus said in Matthew 23:11:
The only ‘superior’ among you is the one who serves others. (J. B. Phillips)
The more lowly your service to others, the greater you are. To be the greatest, be a servant. (Taylor’s Living Bible)
But the greatest among you shall be your servant. (New American Standard)

Being a servant is not “natural” behavior for us as human beings, is it? But remember, we are new creatures in Christ. We are “super-natural” beings! We choose to be slaves to the One Who loved us enough to shed His blood and die in order to buy us as we stood naked on the slave block for the entire world to see. Yes. I voluntarily give myself as His slave. You see, I know who I am and I am confident of being surrounded by love and acceptance and security–from now through eternity.
I am a slave. You are a slave. And we are proud of it, aren’t we? In fact, we have given ourselves completely to our Master as “bond-slaves”3 –declaring our allegiance to Him, our love for him, and to the world we say, “Our Master is wonderful! Come be a slave with me. You will find nothing like it in your search for love and purpose in this godless world where we live–temporarily! Thank You, Lord.

1I Corinthians 6:20 For you have been bought with a price
2I Peter 1:18-19 …knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
3Philippians 2: 5-8 Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, eve death on a cross.