Spiritual Meat, Not Milk
When we were babies, our knees were close to the ground. We crawled on them and played on them. But when we got older, we learned to walk and eventually run. Yet the older I get, the more I am aware that we as adults need to return to our two knees.
I was having a conversation several years ago with a group of writers who were talking about their books. The guy next to me was like, “Yeah, my book just made it to the New York Times Bestseller List.” Another gal across the table (who was helping herself to a mighty good looking ribeye, by the way) said, “It’s so hard to take compliments, especially when they’re so dang true!” This went on for a while until the table was bloated with super-sized egos. I got kind of perturbed and when they expected me to say something about my book, it came out like this: “Can I ask you guys a question?” They nodded. “When did you start believing all the good things people say about you?” The table got corpse quiet and killed the rest of the evening.
There is a tendency, especially in America, to embrace a consumeristic, success-oriented mindset. That’s what the “America Dream” is all about. But John the Baptist once said, “I must decrease; Christ must increase.” This should be the cry of pastors, writers, singers, musicians, and other Christians who minister to large numbers of people in the public arena. Humility and lowliness should be our mission, our passion. I fingered this verse on my bathroom mirror this week because it reminds me to keep my knees acquainted with the ground. It reminds me to sink my teeth into spiritual meat, not milk.
Paul says it best: “What do you have that you did not receive and if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not” (I Corinthians 4:7)?
Thank you for your prayers this week.
Feb 12-Sirius Satellite Radio Interview, Gus Lloyd Show, 8:30 am (central)
Feb 12-Books a Million book signing at The Brookwood Village in Birmingham, 7:00 pm
Feb 13-Preaching in Bryan College Chapel, 11:00 am
Feb 13-Teach Abnormal Psychology class at 1:00 pm
Feb 14-Teach Counseling Theory Class at 11:00 am
Feb 14-LifeWay book signing in Dayton, TN
Feb 14-Teach Worldview and Life Class at 1:00 pm
Feb 15-WCBQ radio interview at 8:30 am
Feb 16-Barnes and Noble book signing at the Summit in Birmingham at 11:00 am
Feb 16-Amen Corner Book signing in Birmingham at 1:30 pm
Feb 17-Books a Million signing at Fultondale, AL at 2:00 pm
Feb 18-Books a Million signing on HWY 280, Birmingham at 7:00 pm