The Shame of Self Promotion
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.”
Luke 14:7–9
In Aesop’s fable “The Tortoise and the Ducks,” he tells of a tortoise who envied those who could travel about and see the world. Taking pity on him, two ducks came up with a plan that would allow him to experience places he had never seen before. “We can help you to see the world,” said the ducks. “Take hold of this stick with your mouth, and we will carry you far up in the air where you can see the whole countryside. But keep quiet or you will be sorry.”
The tortoise was very glad indeed. He seized the stick firmly in his mouth, the two ducks took hold of it one at each end, and away they sailed up toward the clouds. Just then a crow flew by. He was very much astonished at the strange sight and cried: “This must surely be the King of Tortoises!” “Why certainly—” began the tortoise. But as he opened his mouth to say those foolish words he lost his hold on the stick, and down he fell to the ground.
There are some people whose only interest is self-promotion. They only take jobs that will bring them praise, and they only work hard when others are watching. Paul describes a different approach: “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men” (Ephesians 6:6–7).
Luke 14:7–9
In Aesop’s fable “The Tortoise and the Ducks,” he tells of a tortoise who envied those who could travel about and see the world. Taking pity on him, two ducks came up with a plan that would allow him to experience places he had never seen before. “We can help you to see the world,” said the ducks. “Take hold of this stick with your mouth, and we will carry you far up in the air where you can see the whole countryside. But keep quiet or you will be sorry.”
The tortoise was very glad indeed. He seized the stick firmly in his mouth, the two ducks took hold of it one at each end, and away they sailed up toward the clouds. Just then a crow flew by. He was very much astonished at the strange sight and cried: “This must surely be the King of Tortoises!” “Why certainly—” began the tortoise. But as he opened his mouth to say those foolish words he lost his hold on the stick, and down he fell to the ground.
There are some people whose only interest is self-promotion. They only take jobs that will bring them praise, and they only work hard when others are watching. Paul describes a different approach: “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men” (Ephesians 6:6–7).
Today’s Growth Principle:
Rather than seeking to glorify ourselves, we should always be lifting up Jesus Christ
The Truth About Willpower
by Joyce Meyer - posted June 12, 2016“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD of hosts.
—Zechariah 4:6 NKJV
Willpower can be a powerful tool in the hands of a determined, disciplined individual. It can help you confront any problem you have and adjust your lifestyle. However, willpower only takes us so far and then we always run out of our own strength.
Now, what happens if, instead of turning first to willpower in your time of need, you turn to God? God releases His power into you and enables you to go all the way through to victory. Now you’re energized for positive change, but willpower does not get the credit for our success, God does.
Jesus said in John 15:5 (NASB), Apart from Me you can do nothing. This is one of the most important and most difficult lessons we must learn if we want to enjoy the life Jesus died to give us. When we turn to anything or anyone before God, He is insulted and is obligated to let us fail so we will realize that except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it (Psalm 127:1 AMPC).
We must learn to let God do the heavy lifting. Let Him supply the ability to energize our choices. We can choose to exercise or stop overeating, but our choice alone is not enough for complete victory. Willpower and determination will get us started, but they’ve been known to quit in the middle and leave us stranded. God never quits in the middle.
There are some people in the world who claim to be a self-made success, but if we follow their lives all the way through, they usually end up falling apart. God has not created us to function well without Him, and the sooner we learn that the better off we will be.
Start by asking God to get involved, to do the heavy lifting. Continue on with God and finish with God. What should we do when the burdens in life seem too heavy? Jesus said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28 NIV).
Trust in Him: Who/what is the first thing you turn to when you need to overcome a problem? Whatever “that” is, that’s where you’re placing your trust. Choose to put your trust in God in all things and at all times.
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