Tuesday

The Humble Prophet...Is That an Oxymoron?

It seems that God is constantly seeking to teach us new things.  And sometimes those lessons are not easy ones to accept.  Perhaps that is because His lessons always meet us where we are, and if where we are is not where He wants us to be, then it is us who must move.  Lately, one of those difficult lessons has been warring within my soul.  Let me try to explain.

Whenever I have had the opportunity to take one of those spiritual gifts inventories or questionnaires the same two gifts from God always appear at the top of my list.  Now God has allowed me to see Him develop other gifts in my life as I have matured or changed in my journey.  At the same time there are other gifts that I wonder if they were even on the inventory, mainly because I simply do not have those gifts in any measure.  But these same two gifts have remained a constant for me for the just under 30 years that I have been saved.  These are Prophecy (which usually has scored within a couple of points of being maxed out) and Evangelism in a close second.  I have also noted that these two gifts often times go hand in hand, especially for someone God intends to be serving Him in that intimidating field of the vocational evangelist.

For me the acceptance of these two gifts, especially the one of Prophecy has been difficult.  You see, to say that I have the gift of prophecy sounds almost arrogant.  And I truly do not want to be known as an arrogant man (believe it or not).  Now, for the New Testament church the prophet is one who has been gifted by God to speak forth His mind and counsel concerning His church.  Literally, when I go into a congregation it takes almost no time before I begin to see and sense issues and needs.  Most times I will become overwhelmed with the desire to stand up and say "don't you see, God's word speaks to this.  Why are you not seeing it?"  What is clear to a prophet may not be so clear to others, and for the prophet that is very frustrating.  Inherent in this Christ given office is a passion for proclaiming God's word to His people, clearly and effectively.  The prophet is driven by the need to see God's people catch that vision of what God can do in their midst if they will only respond to His call. 

With the gift of prophecy comes an unfortunate side-effect.....arrogance and pride.  Or at least the appearance of arrogance and pride.  Before you judge too harshly remember that anyone who has been placed in a position of influence and responsibility must guard against this very temptation.  And as if that is not hard enough, God then turns around and commands us to be humble.  In Proverbs 29:23 we read:

A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.

The humble prophet.  It can literally seem to be an oxymoron.  But that is the very need and call that God has had me wrestle with for years.  Today I found myself on my face at the altar of my home church (no lights on or watching eyes to be impressed) simply crying out to God to give me a humble spirit.  For any minister that has to be our deep prayer.  If humility is not at the forefront of our hearts and minds, then when someone responds to God's call to salvation...then for our minds it is a short step to seeing that obviously it was because of our great powers of persuasion.  If humility is not a primary element of our ministry then the addiction to the praises of the people when we preach, sing, teach or whatever we may do "for the Lord" can and will grow. 

To be humble, according to the dictionary, is to not be proud or arrogant, to be modest.  And here is the challenge I face.  With all my heart I plead with God to make me a humble man, seeking to be all that He has called me to be.  At the same time, I have to pray that God will also never let me be afraid to stand and preach His message, even when others do not want to hear.  God has plans for His people, and sometimes God sends His prophets into our midst to lead us back onto His course and His plan.  I pray that God will give me the ability to speak His words without reservation and fear, but to do so with a humble spirit and a modest attitude.

Dear Lord, humble my heart and ministry.  May it never be about the message I preach but always about the Message that is from You and You alone.  May Your people hear Your words, spoken by Your servant with humility and grace.  Here am I, Lord, send me.

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