Fantastic thoughts, as always! What a great encouragement to faithfulness in your station while ignoring recognition and driving towards God's glory instead of your own (not ambition-less, but also not ambition-led).
Thank you, Michael! I labored under the awful burden of “main character syndrome”for far too many of my working years. I fear that my only lasting fruit will turn out to be from those years after I repented and received God’s assignment for me with gratitude and a more humble heart.
Amen! Had a stint as a David (ironically not a believer). After that experience, I realized I was/am a better Jonathan. I am convinced that humble realization for the first time in my life helped lead to my salvation.
I wonder if this is something like when God told Elijah that he had 7,000 more who had not bowed the knee to Baal. We don’t know anything about them, but apparently Elijah didn’t know anything about them either. So that indicates that for the most part, those 7,000 weren’t all well-known for opposing idol worship. They probably went about their lives in quiet faithfulness. And yet God’s commentary was that He knew them, He saw them, and they belonged to Him.
I wonder if there’s too much emphasis on *doing* things. Christians get guilt-tripped for not jumping on this or that cause. A given cause may be the calling of some, but not of everyone. And just as Jonathan stuck faithfully by his unrighteous father, maybe most of us should focus on living well in our little sphere, rather than changing the world or toppling this or that evil institution or cultural practice.
Great work Michael, always appreciate your insights. Your line about feeling like you have to "own the business" resonated a lot with me. Do you have any articles or insights about how to discern between a good desire for independence and falling into "main character syndrome?" As someone who really struggles with a desire to prove myself and gain affirmation, I want to be really careful and discern well between the two.
Spot on. Almost the entire Psalter works on the assumption that there is a sense in which we are to identify with and step in to the experience of David. Thanks for the article.
Fantastic thoughts, as always! What a great encouragement to faithfulness in your station while ignoring recognition and driving towards God's glory instead of your own (not ambition-less, but also not ambition-led).
Jonathan is one of my favorite biblical figures for many of the reasons you mentioned!
Thank you, Michael! I labored under the awful burden of “main character syndrome”for far too many of my working years. I fear that my only lasting fruit will turn out to be from those years after I repented and received God’s assignment for me with gratitude and a more humble heart.
Oh Foster, This was a post after my own heart. Well done!
Mine too
This was a much needed message. Thank you!
Amen! Had a stint as a David (ironically not a believer). After that experience, I realized I was/am a better Jonathan. I am convinced that humble realization for the first time in my life helped lead to my salvation.
This is fantastic, Michael. Thank you.
I wonder if this is something like when God told Elijah that he had 7,000 more who had not bowed the knee to Baal. We don’t know anything about them, but apparently Elijah didn’t know anything about them either. So that indicates that for the most part, those 7,000 weren’t all well-known for opposing idol worship. They probably went about their lives in quiet faithfulness. And yet God’s commentary was that He knew them, He saw them, and they belonged to Him.
I wonder if there’s too much emphasis on *doing* things. Christians get guilt-tripped for not jumping on this or that cause. A given cause may be the calling of some, but not of everyone. And just as Jonathan stuck faithfully by his unrighteous father, maybe most of us should focus on living well in our little sphere, rather than changing the world or toppling this or that evil institution or cultural practice.
I know for a fact that I’m a Johnathan…but that’s beside the point. He knew his place and owed it fully. Great article brother!
“Everyone wants a Jonathan. Few are willing to be one.” 💯
Great work Michael, always appreciate your insights. Your line about feeling like you have to "own the business" resonated a lot with me. Do you have any articles or insights about how to discern between a good desire for independence and falling into "main character syndrome?" As someone who really struggles with a desire to prove myself and gain affirmation, I want to be really careful and discern well between the two.
Spot on. Almost the entire Psalter works on the assumption that there is a sense in which we are to identify with and step in to the experience of David. Thanks for the article.