https://odb.org/MY/2022/02/08/success-and-sacrifice
I just heard a sermon last Sunday on how the Christian world is sadly similar to the secular world whether it’s the church, a mission organisation or a seminary. There are opportunistic people in high places, there is politicking, manipulation and people looking for sensational things like supernatural encounters, angelic or spiritual visions and big titles (like apostles, prophets) and academic qualifications like doctorates. The criteria for success has become somewhat similar – the flashy, the high flying rather than the humble and the down to earth. The focus is still on the externals and the performance aspects of a person (speaks well with signs and wonders), rather than the character and what’s inside so much so that when someone is gifted and anointed, people will close an eye to his or her character flaws or manipulative or opportunistic ways.
That is most unfortunate. At the personal level, I am always wary of people who like to be called apostle or prophet as though they are Elijah, Ezekial or Peter, Paul or John. Also I cannot understand the paper chase when we know that head knowledge although good to have is not critical or something that defines our relationship with God. Furthermore, all these emphasis on titles and Christian education comes across as seeking to glorify the self and not God. Isn’t self-glorification against the very core of the Christian virtue as the LORD hates the proud and exalts the humble. Are Christian leaders not servants first, and didn’t Jesus Himself teach that the first shall be last and the last first? Can we all dismiss and justify all this down to just human frailty and the weakness of the flesh? Hasn’t the case of Ravi Zacharias taught us anything?
I think we must relook our criteria for success in the Christian world more to stuff like how much a person is willing to lay down his life for others? How much someone is willing to go out on a limb to help others? How humble someone is in character? How forgiving someone is of others who had hurt or harmed him or her? How much suffering one is willing to go through for Christ? I think these are the things that Christ will judge us for our reward on that day, whether we deserve our crown of glory? Furthermore, these are the things that will store up our treasures in heaven, not how many members our church had or how powerful our ministry or how big our title was? Food for thought for today!
Ronnie's Thoughts 