For years the saying “Others May, You Cannot” has been on my mind. It has helped me to understand a few things about myself and kept me from too much confusion about why I can’t just relax in certain areas and do what I see other Christians doing without flinching.
I recently found the source of that saying and reading the article was so inspiring to me today. Click here to read the article by G.D. Watson.
Here is the answer to why I feel guilty or convicted about something that other Christians do not. Is it truly a calling to be more like Jesus than others? Aren’t we ALL called to be like Jesus? From this article and my life experiences I see that we are all called to be different for Christ; to serve in a variety of ways. Some are called to take humble and unheralded jobs while others are in the spotlight. We all are for Jesus, we are his hands and feet. Like Jesus, yes, doing the same jobs, no.
This is a timely article for me. I’ve had the saying in my head, but wasn’t quite sure what the rest of the article was all about. I have been struggling with what is right for me and my family because it is so nontraditional – so NOT what many of my Christian friends are doing. Yet I cannot for a minute say that what they are doing is wrong, just different from my choices. That is a hard place to be in. I have wondered if I was wrong because I see that they are not wrong. I also have some problem seeing that what I do is not for everyone. It is freeing to realize (yet again) that we are all different and when the apostle Paul in Phillipians 2:1-18 says to “be like-minded” I think of our differences and how hard it is to be like minded. Don’t fight, just serve the Lord and love each other. If we were all the same, doing the same jobs would Paul have needed to say this? We are “united in Christ” but we still have our own work to do in service to the Lord and our own human nature to deal with. That causes a bit of a problem for us sometimes even within our own families.
This can go both ways though…Mr. Watson starts off saying, “ If God has called you to be truly like Jesus in all your spirit, he will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility.” Is he saying that those who are not kept in a place of poverty and humility are less like Jesus? I am not sure I like that. However, I think his point here is that we are not all called by the LORD to have the same job. Some ARE called to be most like Jesus in the sense that his job was not at all glamorous or well received. Others are called to have successes in serving Him that are highly visible and glamorous, yet we are all striving to be like Him in his humility, love and self –LESS –ness. Those of us in humble jobs for the Lord are the ones most likely to need this encouraging article. Others may find an article about seeking humility a bit more useful.
This article helps me to realize that there are differences but we are all working for a common goal – Serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
As we look upon those who seem to have a more glamorous position in the body of Christ remember this – while they may struggle with the sin of pride those of more humble position struggle with the sin of envy. We all have struggles, let’s not judge those in the spotlight. Let’s pray for them and encourage them.
