In the Jesus-following life what's important is
that, through you, people meet Jesus. People need Jesus more than they need
you.
Be free of the illusion of your
indispensability. It's OK for you to be out of the way, unseen. Great things
can happen when the spotlight is off you.
To be seen or not seen - it's a matter of
discernment. There is a ministry of presence and a ministry of absence. God can
work in both if the spotlight stays pointed on him.
When life becomes a matter of making a name for yourself the sickness has set in. Self-exaltation and Jesus-glorification do not mix. You can stay underground, behind the scenes, and make a difference.
When life becomes a matter of making a name for yourself the sickness has set in. Self-exaltation and Jesus-glorification do not mix. You can stay underground, behind the scenes, and make a difference.
The difference you make for Jesus will be
greater if your name gets out of the way. The less your name or my name or
anyone's name is associated with Jesus the better things are, and the stronger
the Movement becomes. Because all hearts will be fixed on the Name above all
names.
The underground life is a threat to the dark kingdom. The underground life, the subversive life, is able to get at the root of things.
The underground life is a threat to the dark kingdom. The underground life, the subversive life, is able to get at the root of things.
Roots grow underground. "Root," in
Latin, is radix. Our English word "radish" comes from
this. So does the word "radical." A life that is "radical"
lives subversively underground where the root of all things lies. The kingdom
of darkness fears when Jesus-people attend to the root system.
Jesus said:
Jesus said:
“This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man
scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up,
the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the
soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the
head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the
harvest has come.”(Mark 4:26-29)
The Kingdom of God is like a seed growing
secretly. Its growth is secret because it is underground, out of sight. There
is danger lurking underground. Be dangerous for Christ.
Live life content to be unknown so that Jesus will be known.
Live life content to be unknown so that Jesus will be known.
Don't water your own self so you can bloom before
others.
"Influence" doesn't need to make a
personal appearance.
***
My new book is: Praying: Reflections on 40 Years of Solitary Conversations with God.
