April 06, 2011
Kudos
Every week I interview and write about someone at church and then with the help of other family members we proofread, publish and print a newsletter for the congregation. Last week a fellow believer said, “I am so glad the church does this. It helps us get acquainted and means so much to all of us.” Instantly the Pharisee inclination of desiring credit took shape and I wanted to say, ‘Well, it really isn’t the church’s idea. It’s my idea, my service and my contribution.’ Thankfully I took the thought captive and at least it didn’t come out my mouth. However the Lord knows my thoughts so now I’m asking His forgiveness…and confessing!
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Gail;
-----The truth is, it really isn’t the church’s idea; it really is your idea; it is a service and a contribution of yours. You have been doing this a lot of years and not at this church first. Do you deserve any credit? We could say, “The Holy Spirit does this through you, so you don’t.” But if that were so, then the importance of its doing would proceed from the Spirit’s ambitions rather than yours. If that were so, then the same Holy Spirit who moves in the people at the church I attend would find the same service important there, too, such that someone there would also be doing it. But no one is. Nor is anyone in the church down the street, the one up the street, or the ones across town where the same Holy Spirit moves in those people.
-----But I do think the Spirit does this through you, yet not like that. I think the Spirit found in your ambitions and aspirations something beneficial to the folks around you and made opportunities for you to do what you do. It is quite obvious that He has not found another quite like you in most of the churches round about. The Holy Spirit deserves credit for blessing your service with His stirrings, and you deserve credit for all your efforts and actions upon the inspirations to do it.
-----So I don’t believe your desiring credit was Pharisaical, being that it was only from an honest consideration of the matter. Desiring to make it known about yourself is a different issue, and, as far as I understand things, is your only thought in all of this needing capture and forgiveness. You were right about the rest, yet remained scriptural in biting your tongue, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” (Prov 27:2) Thank you for what you do not only in your weekly newsletter, but in your blog-spot too.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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