We’ve all faced skeptics who told us we were crazy for considering a bold plan to go for a certain job or a certain team or a certain relationship or a certain address or, yes, a certain act of Christian ministry.
“Get serious!” they told us, adding that we’d be out of our league in pursuing the plan.
Who likes hearing “You’re not smart enough” or “You’re not attractive enough” or “You’re not tall enough” or “You’re not cool enough” or “You’re not spiritual enough” or some other verbal bucket of ice water down the back?
I certainly don’t and I’ve heard all of these and many other variants during my years.
Just as you have.
Sadly, sometimes I listened too closely to small-minded voices and scrapped my plans.
I was wrong to do so and I regret it.
This is not about ignoring godly, Bible-based wisdom from Kingdom-minded people. Such counsel should always be welcomed and given deep consideration.
But much of what we hear from others is rooted in the flesh, not in faith.
And so, when some skeptic says to us “Get serious!” and we pause to reflect, let’s make sure that the voice that carries the most weight is the Lord’s.
I’m so glad that young David didn’t listen to King Skeptic when the teen said he was fed up with Goliath’s foul, blasphemous boasting and was going to do something about it.
Here’s a snippet from I Samuel 17:32-33 —
“Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.”
Aren’t you glad that David didn’t listen when King Saul pulled the “Get serious!” thing?
I sure am.
When we’re considering a plan that we know advances God’s will because it helps other people to receive blessings from God and displays our confidence in God’s ability to use us for good, the Devil is not going to like it.
He’ll prompt others to discourage us so that we’ll give up.
That’s when others telling us to “Get serious!” actually creates a testimony opportunity as we explain that we ARE quite serious about serving God and helping people and walking in His power to do what the world thinks we can’t.
As always, I love you
Martin
