Tag: family

Elevated

What do you see when you see the pastor elevated on the platform? Do you wonder if he is up there for his own self-glorification? Do you wonder if he’s gotten there through self-promotion? Do you wonder if he’s only there to feed the insatiable needs of his own ego?

Perhaps.

What I wish you could see is all the things you can’t see. It only looks like he is elevated on a platform. He’s actually standing on the shoulders of his grandmothers who spent countless hours on their aching knees praying for their grandson. He’s standing on the prayers and praises of his parents who hold him up still. He’s standing on the pastors who have gone before him, mentored him, poured into him, and shared their wisdom with him. He’s standing on the prophetic words given to him by a few saints so many years ago that are just now starting to blossom. His elevation is more about all of their faithfulness than it is about his own.

But that’s not all. Can you see what’s behind him?

If it seems like there is a kind of confidence about him, don’t mistake that for self-confidence. What you are seeing is the wind at his back created by friends who would take a bullet for him. That wind at his back is his sister and brother-in-law’s unwavering support, encouragement, and prayer. That wind is the many members of his last church who still cheer him on today. That wind is his wife, willing to sacrifice so much, so often.

But don’t blink or you’ll miss what’s right beside him.

Can you see them? The ones to his right and left. He has angels assigned to him, without which he couldn’t do half of what he does. He also has incredible co-ministers of the gospel who have partnered with him. They watch his flank so that he can take the lead. Their friendship and partnership in ministry are what allows him to focus on his own assignment.

And those in front of him? Can you see them?

They are why he was elevated in the first place. The Lord didn’t elevate him to that platform for his own ego. The Lord has people who need healed, people who need freedom, people who need salvation, all laid out before this pastor. Jesus needed someone to partner with. The pastor’s elevation is more about them than it is about him. He’s simply someone God could trust to do what it takes to serve them. Up is down in the Kingdom of God.

And the One you really want to see, the One that really counts, is the One that stands above the pastor, the One who resides within him.

Can you see Him? He is the source of this pastor’s everything — his strength, his wisdom, his hope, his gifts, his love, his ministry. They all come from the One who stands above him, the One who will never leave him nor forsake him, the One who lives within him. His name is Jesus, the Name that is above all names. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of why the pastor is up there in the first place.

So, what do you see when you see the pastor elevated on the platform? I wish you could see all of those who stand under him, behind him, beside him, and in front of him. If you could see all of them (and maybe one day you will) it would be hard to see him. He would rightly disappear into the cloud of witnesses, and all that would be left to see is the only One worthy to be seen.

Their Faith

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”

Matthew 9:1-2

A paralyzed man lying on a mat would not have been able to get to Jesus. He would not have been able to move himself toward Jesus to receive healing. If someone else didn’t bring him, he wasn’t going.

Then a group of men, maybe family or friends, bring the paralyzed man to Jesus. And Jesus says something that should sink deep into our hearts. “When Jesus saw their faith…” Their faith? The man was healed because his friends had faith. Astounding!

And this isn’t the only time. We see a pagan, Gentile girl who was demonized get delivered because of the faith of her mom (Matthew 15:21-28). We see a servant healed because of the faith of his centurion boss (Matthew 8:5-13). And on and on it goes throughout the Gospels. Over and over again we see friends, family members, parents and others engaging their faith for the sake of their loved one. And we see Jesus honor their faith even if the person needing healing has none.

It is as if, for healing to occur, faith must be present. But God in his graciousness will let faith come from anyone involved. Sometimes it is the person who needs healing who has the faith. Jesus often said, “Your faith has healed you.” Sometimes the faith comes from friends or family who are standing the gap for their loved one. Sometimes faith comes from the person praying.

God is just looking for the conduit of faith through which to release His power into the situation. He doesn’t even need much faith. Just a little faith will do. And He’s willing to work through the faith of anyone present.

What this means is that growing in our faith–increasing our trust in God–isn’t just about us and our relationship with Him. It is about that, but it is also about being able to release faith for the sake of others.

Are you engaging your faith for the sake of others? Are you releasing your faith into situations where others may not have faith? Are you letting friends and family borrow from and draft off of your faith as it grows?