Remember James O’Neal?
The grocery store clerk in Washington who lived with a 10-pound tumor on his face?
When customers and others realized surgery could help, they began donating money until enough funds were received for James to have several surgeries to give him a new look.
Two years later, James says he feels like a new man.
He’s enjoying being “one in a million.”
How many of us would say the same thing?
Are we happy to be lost in a crowd, like James now is?
Doesn’t that go against the American dream to rise to fame?
We’d often rather be the one who gets recognized.
The one who gets the “important” assignment.
The one who receives applause.
John the Baptist—a hugely popular minister in his day—saw himself reduced from the main messenger to old news, and eventually murdered for his stand.
Yet, he was content with his role.
He had pointed to Jesus.
That was enough.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 3:30
Is that enough for us?
May we each lower ourselves a little more today, decreasing our own ego to give credit to God’s goodness.
Be one in a million. And be satisfied.
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RELATED:
While you may not be one who opts for the limelight, do you still struggle when you’re not appreciated, or don’t get credit for something you’ve done?
How do you deal with pride?
6 comments:
Here's a great article I ran across this morning:
"We need boring Christians"
Excerpt:
Many of us want to do something awesome, something epic. We tend to think that the more normal, the less “spiritual.” So it is quite possible that our aspirations to be radical stem from dangerous ambitions to perform biography-worthy feats of global glory.
But radical discipleship is not adventure tourism.
That article was wonderful!
I have this strange tug-of-war inside between wanting attention for the wrong reasons and not wanting it for any reason. May God enable me always to live for His glory and not to strive for self-promotion or attention.
I've spent most of my life fighting the issue of pride and ego. I have to admit that I've used the confidence supplied by God to my worldly advantage.
Nothing is more repulsive to me than the art of ego and selfishness, and yet it is one of the weaknesses I've lived with.
Even as we try to point to God with words supplied by Him, it feels good to be recognized, acknowledged. It is my opinion that the one word that could sum up all of this worlds problems is selfishness.
The best I've ever felt in this life is when I'm selfless, and yet it is still a thorn to my flesh.
I need this reminder often. Thanks
Lisa, I appreciate the message you brought to us via James' story.
It is a fine balance as each of us fights the flesh that wants to be recgonized, to fit in and also to use the talents that God has given to us. We are told not to hide our light under a bushel. That may be the key - "our light" and "His Light" - which do others see and how do we make sure that He gets the honor for any accomplishemnt we achiev?. And not only the accomplishemnts but how His strength carries us through the tough times.
I know I battle this in my own life - we all do. That we know it is a battle is a beginning to bringing the issue/s to Him.
You said it so well. We must decrease with wants, our pride, and selfish desires. Live with eternity on our minds.
Wow. God bless him. What a wonderful attitude this man has. Very convicting post.
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