Congratulations! You’re a….LABORER!
That word is coveted in your circles. It doesn’t get thrown around lightly. But you’ve made it.
You’ve been trained, established in your walk with God, and equipped to make disciples. You are making an impact on the kingdom of God.
You’re elite!!
Has it gone to your head, yet?
There are subtle and not-so subtle forms of pride that can develop in your heart as you commit yourself to ministry. It’s good to be aware of them and fight against them.
Jesus doesn’t use prideful laborers for long.
In fact, He says he actively opposes them (James 4:6). In fact, He says if you REALLY want to grow in humility…just keep exalting yourself and He’ll do it for you (Matthew 23:12).
There is a temptation for “laborers” for Christ to look around at other believers in the church and feel superior because of your ministry skills and your spiritual disciplines.
Pride comes quickly and that is a disaster.
Paul warns against those forms of comparison. In 2 Corinthians 10:12 he says,
“But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.”
2 Corinthians 10:12
How do you fight against the pride of comparison?
What are ways you can continue to cultivate humility, which is an essential, Christlike quality of a godly believer?
Cultivating Humility
This sounds counter to the point above, but one useful help is to compare yourself to well-known laborers of the past.
There is comparison that stokes pride in thinking more of yourself and there is comparison that humbles yourself because you know you have so far to go.
This is the latter.
I confessed pride one time in a group and the leader looked at me and said in a condescending tone, “Really? What do YOU have to be prideful about?”
I got the point.
What is a helpful way to cultivate humility?
Read biographies!
Reading the stories of missionaries and laborers of the past has done more to humble me and put me in my place than anything other than reading the Bible.
Is it okay to compare in this way?
I believe Hebrews 11 gives some justification for us to examine the lives of saints who have gone before us. It gives perspective on how godly men and women wrestled and persevered in following Christ…sometimes through extreme suffering.
It puts life in perspective. It’s humbling.
As I’ve read biographies I’ve found myself, not so much wanting to be like the missionaries, but wanting to pursue Christ more intensely.
A missionary I know once said he has to constantly battle pride. He can tend to think he is something special because he committed his life to labor overseas.
He said biographies kept him on the field because it kept pushing down his pride and reminding him of his need for greater dependence on Christ.
Sometimes we need a little kick in the teeth to remember how much some have suffered compared to our current state. Paul wasn’t afraid to do that to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 11:16-33).
So if you really want to humble yourself, may I suggest 2 biographies for you to add to your summer reading list? These will challenge you!
Put it into Practice
There are countless great biographies out there but here are two that have been incredibly beneficial.
Adoniram Judson
Judson was one of the very first missionaries ever sent from the United States. His perseverance to translate the Bible into Burmese and reach the Burmese people is so inspiring. I never want to complain again!
John G. Paton
John was a Scottish missionary who took the Gospel to the cannibal tribes in the southern part of the New Hebrides on the island of Tanna. He stuck it out through several attacks and personal loss.
**P.S. If you use these links to buy the books on Amazon, or anything else on Amazon for that matter, they will send me a small commission. It costs you nothing! It’s a great way to support the site and keep it going! Thank you.
If you like to Listen
Some of you may prefer to listen to biographies. John Piper has done an incredible series of messages on various missionaries. He has one on Adoniram Judson. You can find it and several others at the link below:
https://www.desiringgod.org/biographies
Thank God He has worked in your life to raise you up to serve Him and make an impact on the world for His kingdom.
There is no sense in which you can let that go to your head. Fight back against pride and negative comparison. Cultivate humility so that God doesn’t have to do it for you!
I hope these resources inspire you to labor with humility so that you multiply godly disciples who model the humble attitude of Christ (Phil 2:5-7).
