Readings for today: 1 Samuel 17-20, Psalms 59
“It’s amazing what can be accomplished if you don’t care who gets the credit.” I don’t remember when I first heard that phrase or who said it to me but it’s true. If we can set our egos aside, it’s amazing what God can do in and through us. I think about the team I get to serve with. Elders and staff at our church. They are some of the most humble and teachable people you could ever want to meet. They aren’t territorial or prideful or power hungry. They don’t care about titles or position. They simply want to serve and I love that about them. It inspires me to do the same. Sadly, I’ve seen far too many ministries where the opposite was the case. Pastors and church leaders who craved the spotlight. Promoted themselves constantly. Refused to share the pulpit or the credit for the success of the ministry. In almost every case, it eventually comes crashing down around them as their envy of others gets the best of them.
Envy is a major part of what brought down King Saul. Having rightly identified David’s gifts and talents and raised him up to be the leader of his armies, he grew jealous when his people started to praise David more than him. He felt threatened and began to seek David’s life. “The women who were playing the music sang, “Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his tens of thousands!” This made Saul very angry. The statement displeased him and he thought, “They have attributed to David tens of thousands, but to me they have attributed only thousands. What does he lack, except the kingdom?” (1 Samuel 18:7-8 NET) Saul’s envy would result in a civil war that would last for years and cause not only his death but the death of his family as well. It’s a tragic end to a tragic story.
Do you struggle with envy or jealousy? Do you care who gets the credit for the successes you happen to be part of? Are you the kind of person who seeks out titles and position? Do you engage in self-promotion? Always making sure everyone knows your accomplishments? I see it over and over again. Especially on social media. The humble brag. The false modesty. The discreet self-praise. Honestly, I’d rather people just came out and shared their good news or at least deflect some of the credit to the people in their life who helped make it happen. For my part, I’m a huge believer in promoting others. Praising others. Lifting others up. The Lord convicted me almost twenty years ago at a time when I too was struggling with self-promotion. He turned my attention outward towards others and called me to labor in obscurity, pursue anonymity, and embrace insignificance. He led me to a prayer called the “Litany of Humility” which I try to pray on a daily basis. And I’ve never looked back.
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 21-24, Psalms 91