Imagine the following scenario: You came up with an amazing ministry idea for your congregation. It was your “brainchild,” so you set up a meeting with the bishops of your congregation, and just as you thought, they, too, loved your idea! In fact, they are elated with it. “Yes, absolutely, yes!” they said. “We want to implement your ministry idea as soon as possible. However, we don’t want you to do it because, in our judgment, we don’t think you’re the right person for the job. Instead, we’re going to select someone else to implement this great idea.”
Okay, so what are the words that would best describe your feelings if the above scenario happened to you? Angry? Hurt? Resentful? Shocked? Am I at least close? Would this be enough to make you want to start attending the congregation across town? Or if you stayed at the same church, would you withdraw and have nothing to do with your idea since your leaders didn’t want you to do it?
I don’t know what you would do, but I do know what David did when he faced a similar situation. David had it “in his mind” to build a house in the name of the Lord (1 Chronicles 22:7). It was David’s idea. It was his “brainchild.” But note what the Lord said, “You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for my name…Behold, a son shall be born to you…he shall build a house for my name…” (1 Chronicles 22:8-10).
We know the story, but don’t remove the human element! This had to hurt. God basically said, “Good idea, David, but you’re not the right kind of man to do this. I’m going to pick someone more qualified than you.”
So what did David do? Did he get angry and pout? Did he withdraw? Did he wash his hands of the project? Did he set stumbling blocks in the way of his successor? No, listen to how he responded, “David prepared iron in abundance for the nails of the doors of the gates and for the joints, and bronze in abundance beyond measure, and cedar trees in abundance…So David made abundant preparations before his death” (1 Chronicles 22:1-6). Although David was rejected, his idea wasn’t, and he worked to make sure his idea succeeded.
Does David’s attitude challenge you as much as it does me? No wonder he was called a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).
Excellent, thought-provoking article. A question we might ask ourselves in such a situation: Is my “great idea” great because it solely is something that will bring God or Jesus glory OR do I see myself also receiving glory when the idea is implemented?
Excellent comparison — challenging indeed! Calls for some soul-searching! Thank you for the message.