--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest competitor of devotion to…" description: "\"The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service to Him. It is never 'Do, do' with the Lord, but 'Be, be' and He will 'do' through you. The only..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/oswald-chambers-205_christ_the-greatest-competitor-of-devotion-to-j_1139236.png" --- # The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service to… ![“The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service to Him. It is never 'Do, do' with the Lord, but 'Be, be' and He will 'do' through you. The only way to keep true to God is by a steady persistent refusal to be interested in Christian work and to be interested alone in Jesus Christ.” quote by Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/oswald-chambers-205_christ_the-greatest-competitor-of-devotion-to-j_1139236.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/oswald-chambers-205_christ_the-greatest-competitor-of-devotion-to-j_1139236.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/oswald-chambers-205_christ_the-greatest-competitor-of-devotion-to-j_1139236.png) > “The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service to Him. It is never 'Do, do' with the Lord, but 'Be, be' and He will 'do' through you. The only way to keep true to God is by a steady persistent refusal to be interested in Christian work and to be interested alone in Jesus Christ.” [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True devotion is expressed by being present for Christ, allowing Him to act through you, rather than merely doing tasks. **In simple terms:** Be, and let Christ work through you. Key Takeaway Focus on relationship over activity. Themes faith service humility relationship Mood contemplative devotional Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - church volunteering - personal prayer - mentoring - daily decisions Key Concepts theology spiritual formation obedience Questions to Reflect On - What does “being” look like in your daily life? - How can you balance action with presence? A Different Perspective Risk of neglecting practical service. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-work/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Competitors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitors/) [Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Devotion Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion-jesus-1253195/) [Interested Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interested-christian-3168029/) [Interested Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interested-jesus-3168030/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Jesus christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-christ/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Persistent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persistent/) [Refusal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refusal/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Steady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steady/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-greatest-competitor-of-devotion-to-jesus-is-service-for-him/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“If I am devoted solely to the cause of humanity, I will soon be exhausted and come to the point where my love will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-i-am-devoted-solely-to-the-cause-of-humanity-i-will-soon-be/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him. It is easier to serve than to pour out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-greatest-competitor-of-true-devotion-to-jesus-is-the-service-we/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Discipleship is based solely on devotion to Jesus Christ, not on following after a particular belief or doctrine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/discipleship-is-based-solely-on-devotion-to-jesus-christ-not-on/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“Beware of any work for God that causes or allows you to avoid concentrating on Him. A great number of Christian workers worship their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/beware-of-any-work-for-god-that-causes-or-allows-you-to-avoid/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We tend to set up success in Christian work as our purpose, but our purpose should be to display the glory of God in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-tend-to-set-up-success-in-christian-work-as-our-purpose-but-our/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [In Christian work our initiative and motivation are too often simply the result of realizing that there is work to be done and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/in-christian-work-our-initiative-and-motivation-are-too-often-simply/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“The true test of a saint’s life is not successfulness but faithfulness on the human level of life. We tend to set up success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-true-test-of-a-saint-s-life-is-not-successfulness-but/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [One of the most difficult questions to answer in Christian work is, 'What do you expect to do?' You don't know what you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/one-of-the-most-difficult-questions-to-answer-in-christian-work-is/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The test of the life of a saint is not success, but faithfulness in human life as it actually is. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-test-of-the-life-of-a-saint-is-not-success-but-faithfulness-in/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Beware of any work for God that causes or allows you to avoid concentrating on Him. A great number of Christian workers worship their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/beware-of-any-work-for-god-that-causes-or-allows-you-to-avoid-2/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Many of us are missing something in life because we are after the second best, I put before you what I have found to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-liddell/many-of-us-are-missing-something-in-life-because-we-are-after-the-2/) [Eric Liddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liddell/) > [It is most heartening to learn that young men and women, in their late teens and twenties, are increasingly attracted to meditative prayer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-joseph-o-connor/it-is-most-heartening-to-learn-that-young-men-and-women-in-their-late/) [John Joseph O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-joseph-o-connor/) > [“Claiming devotion to Jesus is the ultimate evangelical argument stopper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candy-gunther-brown/claiming-devotion-to-jesus-is-the-ultimate-evangelical-argument/) [Candy Gunther Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candy-gunther-brown/) > [We need to remember that the first disciples were ordinary men called to an extraordinary mission. Their devotion to Jesus outweighed- by hair- their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/we-need-to-remember-that-the-first-disciples-were-ordinary-men-called/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) ## More by Oswald Chambers > [“If we deliberately choose to obey God, then He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-we-deliberately-choose-to-obey-god-then-he-will-tax-the-remotest/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/realize-that-the-lord-is-here-now-and-the-freedom-you-receive-is/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [You will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/you-will-never-cease-to-be-the-most-amazed-person-on-earth-at-what/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [When Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross, it was not the blood of a martyr; or the blood of one man for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-jesus-christ-shed-his-blood-on-the-cross-it-was-not-the-blood-of/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Sorrow burns up a great amount of shallowness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/sorrow-burns-up-a-great-amount-of-shallowness/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“Let circumstances take you where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you may find yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/let-circumstances-take-you-where-they-will-but-keep-drawing-on-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-goal-of-faithfulness-is-not-that-we-will-do-work-for-god-but-that/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-are-in-danger-of-forgetting-that-we-cannot-do-what-god-does-and/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“It is a solemn thing, and no small scandal in the Kingdom, to see God's children starving while actually seated at the Father's table.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/it-is-a-solemn-thing-and-no-small-scandal-in-the-kingdom-to-see-god-s/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“If my holiness is not drawing towards Him, it is not holiness of the right order, but an influence that will awaken inordinate affection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-my-holiness-is-not-drawing-towards-him-it-is-not-holiness-of-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“My spiritual history must have as its underlying foundation a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. 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