It's Not About Me

I remember the conversation well. Linda Jackson called to tell me that they were in the midst of repainting the sign at the church. She then asked how I wanted my name displayed on the sign. I was thinking lime green neon. “Do you want your middle initial?”

“Actually, Linda, I do not want my name on the sign at all. Please leave it blank.”

My reasoning was and still is simple. I am just one of the many pastors at this church. I am privileged to be one of the team. Yes, I have a specific role at the church, but that role can be seen only in the context of a community. Not only am I one of the pastors, I am just one of the many priests that are roaming the halls of the church. Peter wrote about all of God’s people in 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” All of us function as God’s priests. So how do we fit all of the worthy names on the sign?

Paul provided us with a wonderful image of the church in 1 Corinthians 12. We are Christ’s body. We are one body formed together by God. Paul wrote in verse 18, “But now God has placed the members, each of them, in the body, just as He desired.” God has made us the body and He has gifted all of us so that we can be part of the body. Left alone we cannot function. We are always meant to live and move and breathe as one body.

All of this leads me to this Sunday. On Sunday, March 7, I will have the opportunity to present myself to God and once again give myself to Him to be used for His glory. I am excited and honored for this opportunity. I am looking forward to every part of the service.

This installation service, however, is not about me. It’s about us. This is an opportunity for all of us to come together and present ourselves to God for His service. We are entering into a new ministry together at First Church. This is our chance to be blessed by God. This is our chance to rededicate our lives and give ourselves to God’s mission.

I can’t wait for Sunday! This is a wonderful opportunity to bring ourselves before God to be used by Him.

It’s not about me. It’s about us. Actually, it’s not really about us either, it’s about Him—but that’s another post.

See you Sunday.