Most Careful With You By: Danny Wallace I Peter 5:6-7 “So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; He will promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; He is most careful with you.” I recently spoke with a pastor/friend of mine. If there has ever been a simple man of faith who has tried it all and now drinks from the fountain of Grace, it is this friend. We discussed how seemingly everybody we talk to gives us advice as to why “Grace” is not enough, and second to that, how important it is that we brand our ministry. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard both gems of advice I’d be a multi-millionaire by now. What it all translates to mean is “Lord, have you not seen my ministry?” And God is saying, “Oh yes…I’ve seen it. NOW, would you like to see mine?” If I were simply in ministry as a vocation I would bail out today, like a rat leaping from a sinking ship. I have no stomach for any part of what most people today believe is necessary to be successful in ministry. What is “success” in ministry anyway? I’m constantly told that I need to network with the right people – the recurring motto in American ministry being. “It’s all in being someone the authorities of religion recognize.” No matter which way you turn someone is throwing out the “branding” advice. To become a success brand we’re encouraged to develop catch phases – use buzzwords – and get our picture taken with anybody that others consider to be a somebody. What on earth are we doing? While the church is focused on such nonsense, families are falling apart. These are not people who have never been to church. They know the name of every Christian author and they have followed pretty much everybody who has ever appeared on Christian television. And yet, their teen-agers are at the verge of suicide, while others as young as 14 and 15 tell me that they would rather be dead than to hear one more catch phrase or buzz word from the halls of religion. Religious branding is not the answer to the problems that these families are facing. In fact, religious branding serves the sole purpose of elevating the brand – nothing more, and nothing less. While egos inflate, and brand names increase, people are collapsing all around us. If just the people who call ourselves the “Children of God” had any idea who we are and what we have in Jesus, we would rest in that joy and assurance and throw gas and a match on every part of man’s religious branding and promotion. We would rest in the absolute assurance of Jesus, the only branding we will ever need. We would do well to take that wonderful advice offered in 1 Peter 5 and stop putting on airs. We just need to let the hot air out of ourselves so that we descend, and Jesus ascends to the glorious height of which only “He” is worthy. It’s time to abandon the job of being publicists of our ministry, and our religious brand, who appeal to itching ears - ears that only long for their own spot on their rung of our ridiculous PR ladders. Men of God don’t need it, and hurting people know better than anyone what an empty game it is. God will promote every single one of His precious children in His time, for their good, and His eternal glory. God does not promote to advance “our” brand. He promotes to magnify His glorious plan. God loves to surprise His kids! It is time to stop searching for branding words and catch phrases. Other than those in our inner circles, everyone knows they are “self-seeking” when they hear them. When we need words the Holy Spirit gives them to us. And “when He does,” they are always the words of Jesus, not catchy words from our latest PR slogan. When we need just the right thing to say to that broken heart that God has trusted into your care, only the words of Jesus will matter. In these moments, the broken don’t need another gospel celebrity – they need Jesus Christ. In their deepest hour of need people don’t need our brand, or our celebrity. They need Jesus. Jesus is enough. Live carefree before God in the joy of His Son – given to us that we might lift Him high for the entire world to see. Burn your branding and “behold the Lamb of God.” Jesus has seen your ministry. Today He is asking, “Now, would you like to see mine?” You can relax and trust Him with the branding – for He is most careful with you.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 12:59:36 +0000
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