Think Less of Yourself!

This photo has made my day! It is from the just-ended 2022 Africa Confederation cup finals. Kudos to the photographer, he has nailed it. Am not sure what the conversation was between the referee and Mohamed Salah (the highly ranked Egyptian striker), but the caption is so telling. Assuming so, there is a profound spiritual lesson that every Christian should learn from.

A wink; unquestionably the title of this article does not fit well with the paradigms of today’s motivational speakers and preachers. To them, am a loser.

 

That aside. Have you ever noticed how highly people think of themselves in this generation? I have met people who think, speak, and act as though they own the world. as though the world would disintegrate into rabble if they ever fold their hands. They make everybody around them or those attached to their paraphernalia appear indebted to their worth. A sure display of our degenerated egocentric life which promotes ‘self’ like a product at the marketplace?

 

Whether it be at school, in the corporate arena, or within the religious community self-aggrandizement and self-glorification is the order of the day. indeed, without a shadow of a doubt, we the 21stC earthlings have exponentially become the beasts of the urban jungle”. In our depravity we have relentlessly continued to walk in the way of our federal father Adam; buy into the lie of the evil and make ‘self’ a little god.

 

Brethren, it is time to be more deliberate in heeding the Scriptures: “For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work… (Gal 6:3-4)”.

 

In Biblical history all those characters we most admire as successful notables who left a godly legacy and posterity were meek. They all thought less of themselves. They all began life with very little to offer. Let me sample a few popular ones.

Abraham began as a homeless traveler. Joseph was an imprisoned sold slave. Moses was a slave child and later a fugitive. David was a disregarded little shepherd boy. Daniel a young captive and slave. Nehemiah a house servant slave. And the mightiest of all, Jesus Christ the Nazarene born in a cattle cave from a simple young couple.

Though they all had dreams, goals to conquer, and odds to brave, they accomplished their earthly missions having thought less of themselves. It was with their very lowliness/meek disposition that God glorified himself and promoted them.

 

So brethren, this idea of self-glorification, self-positivity, ‘claiming and believe theology’ and all the rest in that bundle is just an awash approach to life. Christians need to learn to work hard and to get dirty through the heat of the day. it doesn’t matter how highly you think of yourself, God has ordained work to feed, dress, and shelter you. Leave it to the Lord to test, prove, and eventually make something good for his glory and your good from you.

 

Back to the referee-Salah conversation. In light of the comedy, lol! The referee was right to challenge Salah to take charge of the match if he thought of himself as one who can referee better. Not that the referee was going to give up his role to Salah; rather, he was simply being sarcastic. With that very sarcasm, he drove the point home: “I am in charge, leave it to me, and you think less of yourself for now!”

Consequently, in his wisdom, Salah was right in refusing to take the whistles and the cards. Not because the regulations would not allow, but because he was reminded of the need to be humble and stick to his lane; to think less of himself as a player and not an adjudicator.

 

Brethren, though simply a photo and a comical caption which is most likely not true, it is so illustrative of our spiritual life. The more we think less of ourselves and commit to doing our calling and placement with all our might, the better people we become. Simply put; let us learn to be humble, to respect other people even when society regards them less, and to do our work with all our might. That glorifies our God!

Encouraging each other's Faith

 

This morning, for my edification, I read through the first two chapters of the book of Romans. No sooner had I gone two minutes into the book than 'Romans 1v8-12' jumped out and engaged my attention.

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.” (Romans 1:8–12)

 

Intriguingly, Paul’s desire and love for the Roman believers whom he had neither met nor seen was fascinating. Except for a few of his former companions who now lived in Rome (Romans 16:1–16), he had only heard about their faith. What was it that zealously drew Paul to the Roman brethren that he prayed for them always (Romans 1:9–10)? Two things:

 

First, it was all about their faith in God that was being proclaimed all over the world (Romans 1:8). The gospel had been preached among the gentiles who were now calling upon the Lord. The transformation was so vivid that their testimony spread like a world fire. Paul, who was an apostle to the gentiles could not resist but praise the Lord for his grace upon a people who were once outcasts, barbarians, and vagabonds. But now; brothers and sisters in the Lord. It was God’s work of grace in Church at Rome that brought joy, gladness, and a yearning in Paul to share in their encouragement. 

 

Second, that first-hand experience of faith’s freshness from a mutual encouragement born from that continuous fellowship with the brethren (Romans 1:11–12). Paul’s intention to meet up with the church at Rome was to experience a mutual encouragement of faith. Paul never regarded himself as that great apostle who goes around encouraging the weak, and healing the troubled, No! Even with his higher calling, Paul considered himself as a mere servant of God who needed encouragement from other believers as well; strengthening, and growing each other’s faith.

 

Contrary to this virtue of encouraging each other’s faith in this world, we have become so individualistic to the detriment of each other. We are no longer paracletes (brother’s keepers); instead, we fight each other and walk alone. We easily forget that this world we live in seeks to butcher our Faith; rust it, fade it and dry it up. Literary, Satan jumps on our shoulders to disorient, buffet, and toss us to and from. Our own flesh’s propensity to sin works simultaneously with the evil one dragging us into friendless filth. By the time we realize we miserably question our faith, God’s love, and our usefulness in God’s kingdom. Thank God he is still gracious with us!

 

Romans 1:8–12 is worth a thousand and more perusals. What a blessing, and how wonderful, in the likeness of the apostle Paul, if we would learn the virtue of encouraging each other’s faith in the church. Much growth would be experienced by the majority. So, what is our lesson? Two things: 

 

Here is the first lesson. Learn to deliberately nurture a culture of looking forward to praising God for the work of grace done in other believers. We must pray to see the wonders of our God among his flock even while their weakness and failures linger. To watch God’s grace, faithfulness, and love at work in others is a great blessing. Such was Paul’s heart. Like with the Roman believers, Paul loved them and was so thankful to God for the Corinthian believers even calling them sanctified in Christ (1Corinthians 12,4).

 

Brethren, just by this simple attitude of celebrating the work of grace in others God will bless your heart and encourage your faith.

Here is the second lesson. Learn to deliberately nurture a culture of frequently being with other believers with a single purpose of encouraging each other’s faith. Yes, there is a time for correction, reproof, rebuke, and debate. However, a time of encouraging others should be more pronounced. It is so unfortunate majority of believers spend their precious time trashing talking, growling, and amusing over others’ sins and failures. May it not be so with us. Let us meet and practice virtues that strengthen and grow our faith and the Lord’s church. To encourage the inner man and bring a freshness to our faith.

Brethren, like the apostle Paul who longed to visit the Roman Church to celebrate God’s work of grace in them, and experience mutual encouragement with each other’s faith, may that be said of us in the church and among those who hear of our faith. Amen!