I had a Canadian moment this morning! I opened the curtains on our home office this morning at 6:30. I was surprised to see frost on the window - oops, it is cool here during winter months, but not that cool! During the night it went down to 9 degrees (48 F.) and that was condensation on the windows - not frost - this morning.
The Tower of Babel story in Genesis 11 raises many questions in the mind of a thoughtful reader. This is one of those biblical passages where we really could wish God had provided a few more paragraphs of inspired description and commentary. However I was struck today by the goal of the people who were constructing the city and tower: "so that we may make a name for ourselves."
How often, even in Christian service, is our desire "to make a name"? Yes, we do want to advance the cause of Christ. Yes, we do want to serve others. But lurking in the background, and if we were honest sometimes actually front and center, is the goal to "make a name." We want people to notice how good we are; how humble we are; how faithfully we serve; how sacrificial is our service; how excellent is our teaching, preaching, leading, organizing, etc. Pride is such a root sin and can influence us in so many ways. God knows, cares and judges our motives. So we should regularly check our motives. (Perhaps rarely 100% pure since we are not yet fully "formed".)
God expects people to live for His glory, which in turn is for our own good. So in Genesis 11, God stopped the people from "making a name for themselves".
Yet notice the contrast: in the very next chapter, we find God promising to Abraham what, as far as we can tell from the text, Abraham was not pursuing. If Abraham obeys by faith; if he leaves his country and his people; if he follows God's direction; then God promises: "I will make your name great."(12:3) What motivated the people of chapter 11, is promised to Abraham who is not pursuing it.
God calls us to live by faith and obedience. Jesus calls us to follow and obey out of love for Him. I should serve others in order to enhance His reputation! I should live a righteous life in order to help people think more highly of my Saviour's name! This should be my dominant (even my only) motive.
If God in His grace should cause "our name, our reputation, our legacy" to be enhanced - well we can be humbly thankful. But we must beware the desire "to make a name" for ourselves. This proud motive can lead to Christian legalism, Christian hypocrisy, and even competition within the church.
Let's allow God to be in control of all public relations and advertising. Let Him decide whose name is noticed and whose "name" becomes great. We should always remember that "unknown, unnoticed names" here, may be "great names" in heaven and in eternity.
Maybe today is a good day to do a "check up" on our motives for living and for serving.
The Tower of Babel story in Genesis 11 raises many questions in the mind of a thoughtful reader. This is one of those biblical passages where we really could wish God had provided a few more paragraphs of inspired description and commentary. However I was struck today by the goal of the people who were constructing the city and tower: "so that we may make a name for ourselves."
How often, even in Christian service, is our desire "to make a name"? Yes, we do want to advance the cause of Christ. Yes, we do want to serve others. But lurking in the background, and if we were honest sometimes actually front and center, is the goal to "make a name." We want people to notice how good we are; how humble we are; how faithfully we serve; how sacrificial is our service; how excellent is our teaching, preaching, leading, organizing, etc. Pride is such a root sin and can influence us in so many ways. God knows, cares and judges our motives. So we should regularly check our motives. (Perhaps rarely 100% pure since we are not yet fully "formed".)
God expects people to live for His glory, which in turn is for our own good. So in Genesis 11, God stopped the people from "making a name for themselves".
Yet notice the contrast: in the very next chapter, we find God promising to Abraham what, as far as we can tell from the text, Abraham was not pursuing. If Abraham obeys by faith; if he leaves his country and his people; if he follows God's direction; then God promises: "I will make your name great."(12:3) What motivated the people of chapter 11, is promised to Abraham who is not pursuing it.
God calls us to live by faith and obedience. Jesus calls us to follow and obey out of love for Him. I should serve others in order to enhance His reputation! I should live a righteous life in order to help people think more highly of my Saviour's name! This should be my dominant (even my only) motive.
If God in His grace should cause "our name, our reputation, our legacy" to be enhanced - well we can be humbly thankful. But we must beware the desire "to make a name" for ourselves. This proud motive can lead to Christian legalism, Christian hypocrisy, and even competition within the church.
Let's allow God to be in control of all public relations and advertising. Let Him decide whose name is noticed and whose "name" becomes great. We should always remember that "unknown, unnoticed names" here, may be "great names" in heaven and in eternity.
Maybe today is a good day to do a "check up" on our motives for living and for serving.
No comments:
Post a Comment