It occurs to me that I may have written on this topic before now. If so then enjoy this blast from the past-consider it a remake. If not then I hope you enjoy it anyway.
I was thinking about how people pay compliments to pastors and we often deflect the comment rather than receiving the positive intent of it. I think it's in the name of Holy humility. The idea is Scriptural to "not think more highly of yourselves than you ought to". In a Presbyterian Confession known as the Westminster Confession of Faith the first question is: "What is the chief aim of humanity?" The answer: "To glorify God and enjoy God forever."
Therefore any compliment paid to a pastor is often deferred to God's glory above self glory. Not a bad thing in general to give God praise-God's pretty amazing and the love we receive from God is praiseworthy. But I think it can sometimes be false humility-which I know I'm guilty of for sure. In fact we relish the compliments and even jockey for position to receive them. (that's why us pastor's stand by the door at the end of worship right?)
Is it sinful to accept a compliment on a sermon or desire affirmation? After all we've spent a lot of hours to prepare a sermon-and occasionally it turns out to be a creative and faithful interpretation of Scripture. I guess though it comes down to whether our chief aim is to glorify self then we're off track. If we preach or minister for the recognition rather than the reconciliation of humankind with God then we fall short of the ideal. Thankfully God's grace is there to pick us up then too.
So if someone pays a compliment why don't we practice saying-"Thank you." Because the person who God created us to be is glorious in many ways-and as part of God's creation being praised is ultimately glorifying God right? As long as I don't get a tattoo of my own face on my arm with the logo "I'm number one" I'm probably safe. Pastors are reliant on God and others for ministry that is reflective of the community of faith rather than only the personality of the pastor. It's OK though to take some credit when we've worked hard and been faithful.
In closing I'd just like to give God all the glory honor and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ without whom I could not have written any blogs or anything worth a darn.
Peace,
Dwight
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1 comment:
It's a fine line, I think. I think about how I brush off a compliment and am totally devastated by an insult or a critique. So, I guess it would be a blessing to be able to brush off the insult as easily we brush off the compliment.
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