THE SHEPHERD'S STANDARD: The Craving for Success

“A bishop then must be…not covetous…” (1 Timothy 3:2,3 NKJV)

Already the pastor has been warned of the danger of greed—how the passion for possessions has a corrupting influence.  None can serve God and mammon—let the pastor not think he will be the exception to the rule!

Covetousness includes the desire for money, but goes beyond that.  One of the powerful temptations in ministry is the coveting of success.  This is more than a passion for possessions, it is a passion for position—and the celebrity status that comes with it.  Lurking in the shadows of a preacher’s heart may be the lion of lust waiting to pounce, and in this case, not craving riches, but recognition, not stuff but status. 

“If I could just be in that prominent pulpit, my gifts would be acknowledged!”  Instead he chafes in the obscure little chapel where he labors unnoticed by the denominational hierarchy.  It is one of the most common, and yet most cancerous temptations for the minister of the Gospel.

An obvious symptom of this malignant spirit is a critical tongue that is always finding fault and cutting down other pastors—especially those deemed successful.  “They are compromising the Word to get a crowd!” we may sneer.  We might charge, “They are entertainers and not expositors!”  While sometimes these things may be true, more often it reveals the sin of covetousness in the critic’s soul.

The man of God is acting more like the spawn of Satan when he yields to this temptation.  Was it not covetousness for position that led a remarkable archangel named Lucifer to become the Devil?  Such a desire for success will destroy—it will disease your mind, discourage your ministry efforts, damage your members and defile your message.  Repent and seek God’s grace to overcome. 

One of the best pieces of counsel was given to me by a dear friend, Dale Fisher, who has served as a Director of Missions for decades.  At the outset of my ministry, he said, “God knows where you are and can get you where you need to be.”

A PRAYER

Blessed Sovereign,

I bow to Your sweet will.  You place Your servants where You want them to work.  Forgive us for trying to climb the church ladder.  Deliver us from this toxic craving for fame as a religious icon.  Must we have our name in print?  Nail our egotism to the cross!  Heal us of this soul disease.  Renew our mind and let us stoop to serve with humility as Jesus did.  Lord, may we wash the feet of the saints, instead of hoping they will bow at ours!
In the Spirit of Jesus,
Amen.