Accepting honor where it's due

Someone says something nice abut you. Something true. Something wonderful that you've worked hard on ... or that comes naturally and easily because it's a cultivated talent or gifting.

Should you feel honored or uncomfortable?

Do you feel you have to slough off compliments and achievements? Or can you celebrate what God has allowed you to do?

This past weekend, we noted milestones in lives of our choir peers. 35 years later, some have pastored churches. Others have raised good children. Many have influenced their communities through non-profits and community service. A few attained graduate degrees. I felt like I was in the middle of spiritual giants, listening to the tales of God at work in good times and bad. The gals dressed beautifully. Everyone seemed comfortable and at ease, having learned to speak in public and interact with others. These are not social skills to be taken lightly!

Many of us - including I - continue to struggle against our childhood church culture, which emphasized that pride comes before a fall ... so we had to deny any nice remarks about ourselves.

I listened to the interchanges at our reunion. We were surprised and thrilled to reconnect with each other after 35 years apart, because we have become adults with stories of God's abundance and faithfulness.

"Congratulations on a job well done." Response: "Could have done better."
"You're beautiful!" Response: "Wish it was true."
"You reached your goal!" Response: "Took more time than I thought."
"Wow, that's cool!" Response: "Anyone could do it."

I wondered if God felt disappointed at hearing us fend off others'  kind acknowledgements. He gifted us, gave us unique personalities, and allowed our experiences with the intent of forming and shaping us into useful and amazing persons. Would you be hurt if your kids rejected your parenting, claiming that they were nobodies and refusing to see themselves as worthwhile?

How do we admit who we are and celebrate our accomplishments without becoming self-promoting or prideful?

1. Did you solicit the compliment? Are you trying to overcome a sense of inadequacy with reverse pride (you are no one unless you're noticed by others)? If so, behave yourself and stop fishing! Your value comes because God likes you, not because of what others say.
2. Know yourself. How are you unique and special? Every person is needed on the planet or we'd be redundant and God would not have made us. Admit God's creativity: you are fearfully and wonderfully made!
3. Admit your giftings. What comes naturally and easily that others might struggle with? Celebrate how God has blessed you with talents and personality.
4. What have you worked hard to achieve? Be happy with how you've developed spiritually and trained a skill-set that is out of the ordinary.
5. What is the person trying to say? Are they genuinely pleased with you or with what you've done? Or are they buttering you up (flattering you) so you compliment them back or give them what they want? Accept the former with a smile, "Thank you, I appreciate that." Ignore the latter with a polite thanks or "Hmmm" and move on.
6. Would God agree with the compliment? When God says you are special and finds you extraordinary as his child - especially when he is glorified by your attention to his blessings - receive the compliment with grace and humility. We understand that it's God's work in you that makes you amazing. Your partnership with him is what we find so special about you, whether it's your sense of style, your gracious speech, or your great accomplishments. Agree with us, already :-)

I'm sending a warm "I celebrate you!" and "So glad you're in my life!" to my wonderful friends and family this morning. You know who you are! (All of you!)

Read more:
*In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

*For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:36

*Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.1 Corinthians 8:6

*But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:7-11 NIV

Lent Day 19: Thankful for God's glory

"The flag wasn't a sign that she thought her country was better but a reminder of her country, of what she had left behind for the gospel's sake." One of my dissertation readers who lived overseas remembers the pleasure of the American flag waving overhead.

We all love our own people. Those of us who live in "foreign" settings feel glad to have a touch or taste of home.

However, when "home" is a world power, it can be difficult to be objective. The person in the literature definitely felt the superiority of her birthplace in comparison to where she served.

Listening to the story of David this morning (read from the book of Samuel), I pondered the fall of strong nations. Blessings come to people whose government or rulers serve God and follow his ways. Sadly, when nations become strong, they forget Moses' warning to his own people:

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ...

You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God."(Deut. 8:10-20)

Reading the history of the early C20, I am astonished at how many Christians––including the American presidents of World Wars I and II––prayed for military victory. The American army helped other countries overcome their foes in Europe and Asia. But did the God of Gideon need the added troops and weaponry of the USA? Of course not. But God's people were praying fervently in Europe and America and God granted their military a successful partnership to end the wars.

The danger is not only during times of battle but perhaps more severe afterwards, when victory is assured and we are tempted to say, "Our strong arm and our superior might has won the day!"

The writer of Acts tells of the downfall of King Herod, who accepted the worship due only to God:

Herod had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply.

On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. (Acts 12:20-23)

The consequence of arrogance is a decline in morality and societal values; death and financial ruin are on the horizon. It's always been that way ... because God will share his glory with no other person or system.

With all he accomplished, Jesus always glorified his heavenly Father, rather than pointing to himself. Whatever we achieve, let's remember that blessings come from God. Honor, wealth, and prosperity are in his hands not ours, even when he lends them to us as his stewards. Have we been successful or singled out for acclaim? If so, have we acknowledged God as the origin or are we depending on our own wisdom and savvy?

Read more:

*So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and said to him, "Thus says the Lord, 'Let my people go, so that they may worship me.'" Exodus 10:3

*Be still in the presence of the LORD,   and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land. Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone. The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity." Psalm 37:7-11

*Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

*God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5

Moravian Prayer: Gracious God, give us the courage and the strength today to stand up to the powers of evil in our lives. These can walk all over the powerless and sometimes close their ears and eyes to cries for help. Pour your power into us to act. Amen.

Scary stats on a lethal profession

• Stress and conflicts cause the most physical and psychological harm to the health of pastors.
• 35% of pastors will be fired or voted out of their churches.
• 50% of those will leave pastoral ministry.
• 85% of AG churches are under 100 people.

Those were a few of the stats presented at the ministers' area meeting today. I looked around the room. Many of the men and women have endured hard seasons and stuck it out. Other faces were missing, casualties who have slipped out of ministry in the past ten years.

"I was unprepared for the hostility of the church people," said the speaker, about his topic, Ministry: the Lethal Profession. "I thought if I liked them, they would like me."

Not only do we expect our pastors to tell us about Jesus; we also expect her/him to BE Jesus, perfect in every way. We dishonor them (and Christ) with unrealistic expectations and harsh criticism. If our bosses or employees treated us with the disrespect we show our spiritual leaders, there would be fireworks! (I'm not referring to ministers who steal or have moral failures; I'm talking about those who don't do things the way we'd like, aren't brilliant speakers or administrators, or who have lapses in judgment or congregational culture that irritates us.)

Our family is friends with missionaries and pastors around the world. My mom's often lamented the heartache of pastors who do their best and have to leave a church, pushed away by an ungracious congregation. Off they go, wounded but willing, into the next pulpit.

It's not "love your pastor" week or any specific occasion. But post-Valentines Day, it might be nice to give a warm handshake, slip a thank you note with a $20 bill to "take your husband/wife for coffee," or to show appreciation in a way that's comfortable for you. We're individuals, so we won't agree with everything that is said and done, but we can support honest efforts with kindness and prayers for our pastors (and church board members).

Most ministers, trying their best to serve God, hear more grumbling than gratitude. You and I could reverse the trend this month. What do you think?

Read more:

*Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. Genesis 6:9

*By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household. Hebrews 11:7 

*The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;  and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NKJV

*Just as the prophet Isaiah had written: 'Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. …'

This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. …  John announced: 'Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I'm not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!' Mark 1:2, 4, 7-8 NLT

*Jesus came and told his disciples, 'I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Matthew 28:18–20 NLT

Moravian Prayer: Lord God, help us to be as faithful as our ancestors of old who loved you and trusted your guidance within their lives and households. Amen.