I live in a strange place. I live in a community where a number of nationally known Christian leaders live....people you would know if I told you their names. This morning I'm at a coffee shop we all frequent, and several of them have come in, and stopped by my table to say "Hi, Mike, how's it going?" We are all friends because of the ministry and because we run into each other so often. The interesting thing for these comments is not that I know them, but that they are just normal guys following God, serving him...it just happens they are very popular and very visible, but they all have feet of clay just like you and I do. We all struggle with life, kids, money and all the other stuff. They just have the added problem of being nationally known. I know we live in a "celebrity culture" but that's not what God's interested in...he's interested in our focus, worship and adoration being directed towards HIM, not towards a man or woman. I heard a message this week by Francis Chan in which he described a group of girls coming up to him after he spoke at a retreat to tell him that they liked him best of all the speakers at the retreat. In the message he admitted that his first response was to be flattered, and then it hit him....if they are focused on me they aren't focused on God, and he had to repent of his pride...of his sin of enjoying the glory meant for God. After all these years in life and ministry I have met and known many people of note, but the ones I think of most fondly are those who don't like the spotlight, but would rather focus the attention on Christ. Truthfully, when we are done with this life the only "celebrity" will be God himself and all the lights will be turned on him. I long for the day when he gets all the glory both in heaven and on earth....what a day that will be....
Rev 5:13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."
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2 comments:
Mike- I really have recently desired to be a "celebrity" in the sense that the "work" that I do impacts many, many people. This reminds me to really seek that God becomes the famous one among those blessed by His work here on earth. Thank you for the reminder to keep it all in correct focus! You are super cool...Praise God!
-Jenny
Like Jenny, I needed to read this today. Thanks for these wise words. I just started Chan's book. I am excited to read what he has to say!
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