"Don't Say Anything..."

     I've been reading in the gospels recently during my Bible reading time and have been struck by how many times Jesus healed someone (or cast out a demon), and then swiftly told them not to tell anyone who did it.  There were even occasions when Jesus came near someone demon possessed and when the demons began to acknowledge who He was, he told them to keep silence.
     I get the theological answers to this; I've given them.  It wasn't his time yet.  He didn't want people to follow him because of the miracles.  He didn't want the crowds to get the wrong impression of why he had come to earth, etc.
     Still; I'm reminded of how different I am from Jesus...maybe you are too.
     If I had the power to cast out demons or perform miraculous healings or bring someone back from the dead, I think I'd be OK with people knowing about it.  Alright; I'd probably put it on my web site.  It might look a little like this...
  • Pulpit Supply
  • Conferences and Seminars
  • Leading Worship
  • Consulting
  • Strategic Planning
  • Ministry Counseling and Coaching
  • Miraculous Healing, Exorcism, Bring People Back from Death
     Isn't it interesting that the one person who really could do all of those things wanted to keep it quiet because (among other things) his desire was to draw attention to the Father in Heaven.
     I'm trying to use this to re-evaluate my own ministry attitude.  If what I do honors God, then I have enough.  In fact, I was reading in the last day or so that Jesus even felt that way about things like fasting and giving of alms.  If I do it in a fashion that others notice me and it draws attention to me, then I already have all the reward I'm going to get.
     I'm going to keep working at the humility thing.  I like John the Baptist's attitude: "He must increase, but I must decrease."  By the way; those words come from the man that Jesus said was the greatest man to ever live...
     So how do you deal with the balance of doing everything you can to help people see the fame of God and avoiding the temptation to keep your name and face in the picture when people are doling out the kudos?
    

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