In the Bible, we see common patterns of challenges faced by those who have been called by God for amazing assignments. I want to highlight three characters in particular: Moses, Joseph, and Jesus. While not women, these three gentlemen shared characteristics I cannot ignore. They all faced persecution, betrayal, and were called to set free the very ones who betrayed them. It’s one thing when God calls you to love your enemies, people who know little about you or don’t impact your end game.
It is another thing altogether to be asked to love people you loved deeply, who hurt or betrayed you in major ways and left you for dead.
Our world today is full of users. I don’t know what it is about my generation, but I find myself underwhelmed by the lengths people are willing to go to gain money, power, and social acceptance. The level of clout chasing has reached new levels that seem unthinkable to me. The other day, I observed an individual who I knew talked and gossiped about me smile in my face and tell me how concerned they were about my well-being. I knew they were lying, they knew I knew they were lying, but they just kept going on anyway. As they walked away, I said to myself, "People cannot be this shallow.” But I was wrong, people are in fact, THAT SHALLOW.
In the same breath, I felt something challenging me to see beyond the behavior and understand why this individual believed they needed to play up to someone they perceived as a success.
Had they been taught that flattery was the way to get what you want? Had someone rewarded their behavior with access and promotion? Did they truly believe that the only way they could win was by rubbing shoulders with “the right people?”
Power, pride, and greed have a way of bringing out the worst in people.
I also believe that scarcity of resources and poverty bring out the worst of humanity. In the cases of Moses, Joseph, and Jesus, we see how oppression, jealousy, and persecution can cause even family members to give up the ones they love. Yet somehow, God calls us to love such individuals, while protecting our hearts.
If you want to be used to propel others forward, you need to be ready to pay the price it takes to get there.
You will need to overcome traitors, fake friends, colleagues, and loved ones who may be jealous or questioning why YOU were chosen for a particular assignment. At the end of the day, the ultimate test of your worthiness will be…can you drink from the cup Jesus drank from? Can you get out of your own feelings? Can you taste the bitterness of betrayal, persecution, backbiting, outright lying, forgive phony people, release fake friends, and honestly, truly, still love as Jesus did?
On the other hand, if you find yourself chasing after status and clout, ask yourself why you think this is the only way. Is God not able to bring you divine connections and help? Are you trusting in God, or are you trusting in man or, even worse, yourself to get to your destiny? If you are, then I think it's time to retool and remember who you are in Christ and start regularly meditating on it.
Loved, approved, & chosen
You are just as special as anyone else, regardless of whether or not you have money, power, or clout, and God has unthinkable ways to get you to your destiny.
May God help us all.
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