Original: November 4, 2007
10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1Peter 4:10-11
I will never forget the tragedy surrounding two special families. Even though they influenced Shanna and me a lifetime ago their demise has left its scar on my heart. Both families were at the church virtually every time the doors were opened. For a season, they co-led a home group that Shanna and I attended. One husband was on our church board as well as the wife of the other family in this tragedy. The two remaining spouses served in numerous ways; one of which was together on the church worship band.
Conservatively I would guess their collective hours in weekly ministry to our church at around 40 hours a week. Ironically, nobody (myself included) ever saw the writing on the walls. Nobody ever called them out on their time spent away from homes, their over-the-top commitments, or that they (all four of them) said “yes” to everything even if the ministry was not an area of giftedness, ability or passion.
Quite the contrary, we in the church applauded their exemplary commitments all the way. All the way, that is, until the divorce of both couples and the prompt marriage of the worship duo once the divorces were finalized.
It was one of the most painful times I have ever witnessed in church work. It was and is a tragedy of Shakespearian proportions! It was a severe lesson that I will never forget. A man must focus all of his ministry efforts in his area of giftedness and, “he should do it with the strength God provides” (4:11).
Verse 10 teaches that the man of God must, “use whatever gift he has received to serve others.” In other words, every man is given specific abilities with specific complimenting spiritual gifts to minister to others. A man must find his sweet spot, stick to his sweet spot and say “NO” to every other good thing that is asked of him.
The propensity of spiritual leaders (like me) is to allow and encourage over-commitment from a few people instead of demanding “sweet spot” commitments from all of the people. Too few people serve in too many different areas at the same time.
This is a catastrophic problem. As pastors we should protect out people but this is the exception rather than the rule. The rule in the Church is to over commit, make minsitry your god, burn out, get bitter, and ultimately hate the church, resulting in superficial ministries, burnout believers, and shipwrecked servants.
The wife of one of the couples mentioned in the above tragedy was (in my opinion) addicted to human affirmation. She boasted in not taking family vacations and robbing her family for the sake of the church. She actually bragged about it!
Andy Stanley once said, “Cheat the Church!” If you are going to rob someone; rob the church. If you are going to cheat on someone, cheat on the church not your family. Men need to serve where they are called, period. Serve nowhere else, especially when spiritual leaders manipulate you with, “pray about it.” You do not serve Man. You serve the King! Serve him well “in the strength that God provides” (4:11) instead the strength of guilt, shame, or his futile efforts.
Bro, are you doing too much?
Are you saying “yes” too often?
Are you trading in God’s strength for your own?
Are you stealing God’s glory for personal affirmation?
Are you cheating your church or your wife and children?
Yes, to any of these is a potential train wreck. Fix it.
