Week Forty-Five - God's Giants

Nope, I'm not thinking of Goliath. Instead, I'm thinking of a quote by Hudson Taylor, who said, "All God's giants have been weak men who did great things because they reckoned on God's power and presence to be with them." 

When I think about his statement, I question. God's giants? Is that what we're after? To be head and shoulders above everyone else? And great things? Is that why we serve? To see the big stuff?

I know the pressure of these ideas. Who is the best? Who does the most? Who is most influential? But honestly, that is not wise. If we serve the Lord with this goal or make this the estimation of our life, we have missed God's ideal.

Granted, God has used some people in more extraordinary ways or with more notoriety, but that doesn't detract from the value of the individual who stays at their post with no recognition or recorded exploit. You won't find God saying that only His most prestigious servants matter or that we should strive to become some self-made spiritual giant to prove our worth.

No. God makes it plain in Micah 6:8 that God is looking for those who do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him.

There's a great book by J.R. Vassar called Glory Hunger. His premise is that man constantly searches for the glory he lost in the garden. Sin took man's glory away. Pride, power, and prestige make him feel better, but underneath he is constantly searching to regain what was lost.

How sad when this search enters the realm of ministry. Christians vying for positions or trying to be heard above others does not bring glory to God. It doesn't make us spiritual giants. Instead, it shows how genuinely selfish and sinful we are.

Why do I say that? Because throughout the Word, we are reminded that we are laborers together, brothers and sisters, and the body of Christ with every part having value. When we stand before God, none of the stuff we strive for will matter. He will cast all our works into the fire to be tried, and only the ones of genuine worth will remain. That will be true whether we are the Apostle Paul or Naaman's wife's maid.

I don't want to detract from Hudson Taylor's thought, but maybe it might read better this way, "All God's servants have been weak individuals who obeyed by faith and saw God work because they reckoned on His power and presence to be with them." To me, this puts the glory back on God. It reminds me that God gives the increase. My part is to keep myself in the love of God (Jude 24), remain faithful, and point others to Christ. God will do the rest.