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“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” – Mother Teresa
I have a confession
to make. About two weeks ago, there
was an article—a front page article—in
the St. Louis Post Dispatch
about a local church. The article
mentioned their rapid growth, and
attributed it to their openness and
welcoming spirit. The article also
mentioned their marvelous pastor,
their multiple “campuses,” and their
new building that accommodates 600
people.
“Wait,” I thought. “We’re open. We have a welcoming spirit. We have a pretty good Pastor (are you reading this, Pastor?) Where is our phenomenal growth? Where is our new building? Where are our multiple ‘campuses’? Where is our front page newspaper article?” To add perceived insult to perceived injury, the other church in question is close to ours and part of the same denomination, and once was no larger or prosperous than ours. Yes, I admit it. I was jealous. I think we have a great church with great people and a pretty good Pastor (are you reading yet, Pastor?) and I’m sure I’m not alone in my opinion. It was hard not to wonder, where were all the accolades? Instead of being happy that souls were being saved, that lives were being transformed, that people were being ministered to who might not be otherwise, I was focused on who was getting the credit. I was reminded of an incident in the Gospels. John came to Jesus and said, “‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.’” (Luke 9:49 ESV). I’m sure John must have been proud of himself and expected a pat on the back from Jesus. But instead, Jesus replied, “‘Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.’” (vs. 50 ESV). If he were on Earth in human form today, Jesus would probably have similar words for me: “Stop worrying about who gets the credit. That other church isn’t ‘the enemy.’ You’re on the same side. It doesn’t matter who gets the credit because ‘it’s not about you.’” Of course, it’s ultimately God who deserves the glory but it feels nice to be recognized occasionally. An occasional “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matt. 25:21a, 23a ESV) feels good. But Paul wrote to the Galatians, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Gal. 5:25-26 ESV). If we look to the coming of the kingdom of God, we won’t have time or attention to look at what others are doing, or what God is doing for them, or who is getting the credit. We’ll only be concerned with what we are doing for God. Our only standard should be whether we’re contributing to the kingdom. One day an argument arose among Jesus’ disciples about which of them was the greatest (Luke 9:46). And later, it happened again (22:24). The first time, Jesus took a child from the crowd and said, “‘Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.’” (9:48 ESV). The second time, Jesus told them, “‘Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. . . . But I am among you as the one who serves.’” (22:26, 27b ESV). Christ, who was greater than any human being and more deserving of glory and recognition, came as a servant (Matt. 20:28, Mark 10:45). If we concentrate on serving, on receiving whoever comes our way, we won’t need to worry about external indications of growth. Our goal should be to serve and “. . . do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col. 3:17b ESV). If we give God the glory, we will have our reward (Col.3;24). “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. . . . Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (Phil. 2:3, 5-7 ESV.) |
