Months ago, a friend was getting married. He had left for Canada in 2022, but I had studied with him since 2009, and much more closely since 2013.
He was never a bad boy and neither was he a charismatic christian. I started a band in 2016, and a fellowship later. He picked interest because he wanted another reason as to why he would learn the guitar.
Having walked closely with God at an early age, I’ve always known I was called for greatness. The slight oversight many of the ‘chosen’ ones have is either not seeing the greatness in others, or not recognizing it when it comes.
On my friend’s wedding, I discovered he leads (or is among the top leaders of) the youth ministry at his church in Canada; hence the many young peeps who hyped him up louder than us who had studied with him the longest.
They kept speaking of his discipleship, and it wasn’t just registering! I was wondering how he came from playing guitar for fun to playing it for whole services in some church! I didn’t know him as a staunch Bible-reading guy!
That’s when the rebuke hit me: I hadn’t ever attached some degree of greatness to him, and yet God had!
Yes, I could have planted or sowed. Another could have watered, but God gave the increase! God was telling me to get used to seeing others mature and thrive and shine in ministry! I felt like Elijah when he was hiding from Jezebel thinking he was the only prophet God had left. But God told him there were 7000 others who hadn’t bowed to Baal!
The greatness of others should not threaten us.
In the same band, I have another friend who joined the choir of a bigger church that I introduced her to in 2016. Over the years, she rose in rank. One time I met another member of that choir who was talking about one of her wedding meetings. It appears that the choir is divided into many cohorts which lead on selected Sundays or Thursdays, and she’s one of the leaders!
The church has over 50000 members and double the number watching online across the world, hence it is a big deal standing before all those people. When I meditated on it, I realized she’s no longer the small girl I led to Christ years ago!
During her wedding proposal, I accidentally said some things that were meant to have remained in the band group and not necessarily heard among her leaders and subordinates. I apologized, but realized as well, there was so much elevation that had happened to her unbeknownst to me!
God said ‘Start thinking nations of all these people you previously discipled. Don’t try to control them, or think short of them. See them the way I have seen you! Called to greatness and more.’
I have began doing so. And I pass on the same charge to you if you are in a position of leadership guiding many under you.
Even Jesus seemed to be the only superstar among the 13! But see how John and Peter became forces of His degree after He had departed!
Those being below you getting elevated doesn’t necessarily render you useless in their lives. You’d have paid a critical part at some point in their lives! Someone else could be paying another critical part at this point in time, but even if Paul is resounding more than Ananias, he mustn’t forget that it was Ananias who prayed that the Lord granted his sight back. (Acts 9)
The wisdom is to know you played your part, and move on focusing on the present assignment! Because it is possible for Ananias to have refused to go pray for Saul to gain his sight back! And I think not having played that part would be worse than fighting the insecurity that comes with feeling those who you helped having excelled in bounds more than you.
If we don’t refine this trait (of not being intimidated of the greatness of others), we may end up having sin master over us, and be astray led like Cain over Abel — not necessarily committing murder in the end, but brooding evil.
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Genesis 4:6-8 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
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