Posted June 23, 2010 By Amanda Conner
What do you think of when you hear the word “overcompensating?” Trying too hard maybe? This was the first thought I had this week while thinking about writing a second part to last week’s blog. We as Christian leaders sometimes go so overboard trying to make everyone happy or to validate something.
I am reminded of a familiar story in the Book of John, when Jesus visited the wedding feast and turned water into wine. I have heard many people teach this passage but I want to point out something I have overlooked for years. Mary, the mother of Jesus, tells Him there is no more wine (chapter 2) Jesus’ response wasn’t “Oh everyone is looking at me and my mother is expecting from me” He simply answered “my time has not come”. Mary had been living that “billboard life” for many years. I am sure she and Joseph were discussed around many dinner tables and market places. She was probably shunned from many religious women because she was the mother of a “fatherless child”, at least that is how it seemed. There were still so many that believed that Jesus was a bastard child and Mary was a flake.
But we all know from reading the gospels that Mary hid God’s Word in her heart regarding Jesus. So, of course, it was inevitable that once Jesus was of age and was out and about that Mary would probe Him to “prove Himself”! I can hear her now, “Jesus show them who you really are…” Though Mary’s desire wasn’t wrong her motive could have been; she may have desired to be proven not crazy so badly that she wanted her name cleared rather than God’s declared. She wanted to be validated by her “special God sent Son” but Jesus recognized her intention and could not do a miracle just to do a miracle for her. Though Jesus loved her His love couldn’t cause Him to perform miracles to prove the “gossips” wrong! God is into making us not promoting us! It was only after He addressed her that she removed her motive and said, “Do whatever it is He tells you”. In other words, Jesus you are in control of how you display your life.
Every leader faces opposing opinions and accusation…and who wouldn’t want their obvious accusers to be proven wrong so they are proven right! Mary had this same thought…but God isn’t into using our billboard to tell our story but to display His glory. The sooner we realize God isn’t about making us look good but about His purposes being established the more we will face our accusers with great confidence. “If God is for me who can be against me!”
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
We would love to hear from you! Tell us what you think.