Only An Instrument

It is interesting how when some people go out and do things in the name of the Lord, they end up bragging about it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong in reporting victories on the battlefield, but one of the worse things the child of God could do is to draw glory from God unto themselves. We note the response of the seventy disciples when they returned from their commission. Luke reports, “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name” (10:17). As Bible Commentator Matthew Henry noted, “They give Christ the glory of this: It is through thy name.” They recognized that nothing they did was possible, but through Christ.

Back when I was a graduate student, during a class on 'Spiritual Leadership,' the professor used a practical example to make what I thought was a very profound point. In the hand of a world class surgeon, a scalpel is simply a surgical instrument. Regardless of the number of surgeries the surgeon would perform with that scalpel, at the end of each one the now sterilized instrument goes back among the other instruments until the next time it is needed. No matter how life saving a particular surgery was, or the accolades that came with a successful outcome, the scalpel does not take a bow, it does not get mentioned. Like the scalpel in the hand of the surgeon, so is the Christian in the hand of God; an instrument that is used to carry out God’s purposes. We do not come out for an applause, we do not take a bow.

I quite like how Jesus brought the seventy back to what was really important. After expanding their ministry capabilities, He continued, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (10:20). The theology in this statement is too great to cover in this space, but suffice it to say that Jesus deflected any intent they had of feeling special or better than everybody else. If we are to rejoice it is not as instruments being used, but rather because by God’s grace we have a place in God's kingdom.

As we fulfill our respective calling, may we be mindful of the words of John, the Revelator: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). He gets ALL the attention and ALL the glory; we simply go back to work when called upon. How are you doing in that area?