The showcase

Tuesday 24 August 2021

The showcase

John 7:24 - Judge not by appearances, but judge by righteousness.

Guess you've been walking around town and strolling around, and just looking at the showcase, just for the sake of taking a walk and watching a bit of what's going on. Depending on our age, the current trend, our social background... we are going to go to this or that showcase that is there just to catch our eye and of course, push us to enter the store to consume. All this, so far seems normal to us !

However, that it was not my surprise one day to hear the wife of a pastor tell me that the platform and of course, everything that was done on it, was the showcase of the church : singers, preachers... This remark left me speechless ! And yes, it does happen to me !

If the platform is seen as a showcase and unfortunately it often is, it forces those who function there to play a role. Recently we heard again from a pastor that for a lot of Christians the pastor should always be smiling, in a suit and tie, and of course everything should go smooth in his life. This mentality puts a strain on those who serve God and often pushes them into some sort of role, which it shouldn't be !

Second, like store showcase, what goes on behind them is often nowhere near as glorious.

Finally, this perspective completely obscures all those who serve God faithfully but have no place on the platform. They are the big part of the iceberg, however, and those who operate on the platform must be well aware that if "these others" weren't here, they wouldn't be here either ! If God has placed us on the platform, let us never forget that we must not have the appearance of godliness and deny that which makes it strong : humility and truth. We will be completely destitute if beside this we do not have a life hidden in God. Let us not forget also that our only ability comes from the Holy Spirit and that if we have received five talents, we are no more merited than the one who received two or one. It is at the end of things that we will know if we have been faithful.

On the other hand, if I find the word showcase inappropriate when practicing ministry, the word mirror seems to correspond much better to me. In fact, our service to God should only be the reflection of our life hidden in God. And let's not forget, "All that glitters is not gold !".

Good reflection.

Source (Ezekiel 37 Ministries)