"And it came about while He said these things,
one of the women in the crowed raised her
voice, and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb
that bore You, and the breast at which You
nursed." But He said, "On the contrary, blessed
are those who hear the word of God, and
observe it."
Luke 11:27-28
Success can be the answer to our prayer, but it
can also snap our spiritual moorings, pull us
away from God, and eventually sink our
ministries. Yet, if we follow Christ's example,
these hazards don't have to happen. Let's look,
then, at Luke 11 and see how Jesus handled
two aspect of success that put any leader at risk:
An Analysis of Jesus with His Large group
of Followers
Having vanquished a demon and "by Beelzebul"
(Luke 11: 15), Jesus certainly had a rapt crowed
to teach God's truth. One woman in particular,
Impacted by His wisdom and depth of character,
couldn't contain her enthusiasm. Praise burst out
of her heart, drowning out His voice and the
very teaching she loved. What's a teacher to do?
Leadership is hazardous work. Unexpected
criticism falls from nowhere. Self-doubt and
discouragement trigger emotional cave-ins. And
Pride, the most dangerous peril, sucks us under
before we even realize we've been standing in
its quicksand.
Author Eugene Peterson lets us know what
happens when we stumble into that third pitfall,
Pride.
We who regularly speak in the name of God to
the people around us easily slip into speaking
in godlike tones and assuming a godlike posture.
The moment we do that even slight any deference
to us or defiance of us can lead us into taking on
a God-identity. We are, after all, speaking God's
word. When people praise us, there is something
God-honoring in what they say. When people
reject us, there is something God-defying in the
way they act. In either case our vocational
identification with God's cause and God's work
make us vulnerable to mistaken god-identities.
Anyone who has achieved a position of spiritual
influence whether pastor or layperson, whether
at home or in the church, whether at work or in
the community is at risk. Gaining a following
May have its blessing, but it surely has its
liabilities as well.
How He Handle a Compliment let us read
(Luke 11:27-28).
So the woman spoke out of place, but can we
fault her? It takes courage to say what's on our
hearts to someone we admire. She meant well,
and Jesus didn't fault her either. Instead, He
broadened her misdirected praise into an
instructive principle: The truly blessed are
those who hear His words and choose of their
own accord to obey them.
Jesus' gentle honesty teaches us to receive
compliments carefully and humbly. A simple
"thank you" is usually appropriate. But, when
ever possible, we should try to expand the
compliment to include others. Humble leaders
know that many people deserve the credit,
not just themselves.
Also, remember what Jesus said earlier: "woe
to you when all men speak well of you" all
applause and no criticism isn't necessarily a
good thing. If we're speaking God's truth,
we're bound to offend some people.
Remembering that criticism is inevitable
keeps our feet on the ground and our souls
attuned to the Spirit.
one of the women in the crowed raised her
voice, and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb
that bore You, and the breast at which You
nursed." But He said, "On the contrary, blessed
are those who hear the word of God, and
observe it."
Luke 11:27-28
Success can be the answer to our prayer, but it
can also snap our spiritual moorings, pull us
away from God, and eventually sink our
ministries. Yet, if we follow Christ's example,
these hazards don't have to happen. Let's look,
then, at Luke 11 and see how Jesus handled
two aspect of success that put any leader at risk:
An Analysis of Jesus with His Large group
of Followers
Having vanquished a demon and "by Beelzebul"
(Luke 11: 15), Jesus certainly had a rapt crowed
to teach God's truth. One woman in particular,
Impacted by His wisdom and depth of character,
couldn't contain her enthusiasm. Praise burst out
of her heart, drowning out His voice and the
very teaching she loved. What's a teacher to do?
Leadership is hazardous work. Unexpected
criticism falls from nowhere. Self-doubt and
discouragement trigger emotional cave-ins. And
Pride, the most dangerous peril, sucks us under
before we even realize we've been standing in
its quicksand.
Author Eugene Peterson lets us know what
happens when we stumble into that third pitfall,
Pride.
We who regularly speak in the name of God to
the people around us easily slip into speaking
in godlike tones and assuming a godlike posture.
The moment we do that even slight any deference
to us or defiance of us can lead us into taking on
a God-identity. We are, after all, speaking God's
word. When people praise us, there is something
God-honoring in what they say. When people
reject us, there is something God-defying in the
way they act. In either case our vocational
identification with God's cause and God's work
make us vulnerable to mistaken god-identities.
Anyone who has achieved a position of spiritual
influence whether pastor or layperson, whether
at home or in the church, whether at work or in
the community is at risk. Gaining a following
May have its blessing, but it surely has its
liabilities as well.
How He Handle a Compliment let us read
(Luke 11:27-28).
So the woman spoke out of place, but can we
fault her? It takes courage to say what's on our
hearts to someone we admire. She meant well,
and Jesus didn't fault her either. Instead, He
broadened her misdirected praise into an
instructive principle: The truly blessed are
those who hear His words and choose of their
own accord to obey them.
Jesus' gentle honesty teaches us to receive
compliments carefully and humbly. A simple
"thank you" is usually appropriate. But, when
ever possible, we should try to expand the
compliment to include others. Humble leaders
know that many people deserve the credit,
not just themselves.
Also, remember what Jesus said earlier: "woe
to you when all men speak well of you" all
applause and no criticism isn't necessarily a
good thing. If we're speaking God's truth,
we're bound to offend some people.
Remembering that criticism is inevitable
keeps our feet on the ground and our souls
attuned to the Spirit.
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