COMMENTARY

Don Atkin

THE INTOXICATION OF AFFIRMATION

It seems that the best time for an enemy attack is right after we come from a spiritual mountaintop. This should not cause us to be paranoid. But, we should be aware upon such occasions, and keep check on our own spirits.

One such mountaintop is successful ministry trips. There is a "rush" that accompanies being well-received and rightly honored. Beware of the intoxication of affirmation!

There are some people who find little or no affirmation in stateside ministry. I compare them to Clark Kent. They go into a phone booth just before leaving the country, and become "Superman" during their international ministry. Then, upon return, it’s back into the phone booth, and back to the mundane life of Clark Kent.

Another scenario: Perhaps you have seen a thoroughbred race horse chomping at the bit and trying to get out of the starting gate. Those who have been held back for years and finally get set free to go and serve must not get too excited about who they are or what they are doing. When the gate opens, will you have the discipline to just stand there until God gives the command to go? If He says, "Walk, don’t run!" do you have the character to obey?

Still another place for caution is in communicating with people in Third World nations. We need huge supplies of discernment to sort out motivations and to identify flattering words. We should know those who labor among us. God is connecting His body in such a way that we do not need to invest in the unknown. We can find plenty of places for our resources among recommended ministries.

International ministry can be "heady" even for those with successful stateside ministries. It seems that everyone is a "hero" on foreign soil. The best thing to do upon returning from a mission trip, or reading an email, or hanging up the phone, is to humble ourselves before our God.

Mature sons of God are neither puffed by praise or crushed by criticism.

God’s grace is sufficient for each one of us to rightly handle both success and failure.

Beware of the intoxication of affirmation.

Just say, "Thank you." And, lay the trophies at the feet of Jesus.