Identifying God-Substitutes

Idolatry is alive and well in American culture. What kinds of gods tempt us today? Those that make our lives successful, don’t make too many demands, and can be controlled to give us what we want.

Here are five markers that reveal the idols in my life:

1.  It causes me to disobey God.
2.  It is what I fear losing the most.
3.  It is what I daydream or talk about most.
4.  It is what I love spending money on.
5.  It brings me greater joy than Jesus.

Valuing Life

 An article I published included a story from Yale Professor Miraslov Volf. He detailed a brutal attack on a Muslim woman by Serbian Christians. Men who were her neighbors. Beating her almost to death, they did vile things to her body, laughing the entire time. 

After publication, I fielded an angry call from a pastor. “How dare you print this!” Puzzled, I asked why. He agreed it was tragic, but said, “Why print a story about one Muslim, when those people are killing thousands of Americans?” Sadly, for this man, not all life was equally important. 

Where Jesus is King, all others have infinite value.

Leadership and Praise

The movers did a good job. I praised them, but the driver was the only one who spoke English. So I gave him extra cash and said, "Share it with the guys however you want." I don't know if he did. A good leader would have shared the praise and the money with the team.

An axiom I follow is: Leaders don't absorb praise, they redirect it. Leadership involves turning attention from me to the accomplishments of the team. Even when I deserve credit, absorbing all the praise starves the team of the fuel it needs to power the engine.

Leadership and Pain

Leaders don’t inflict pain, they bear it. 

I strive to live by that axiom. The concept is not unique with me. I think it was true of Jesus. 

It is the opposite of how more than a few successful leaders operate. Intimidation, threats, bluster, and self-serving demands seem more common.

This doesn’t mean allowing people to shirk responsibility or shift blame. This means, when sacrifice is called for and a price must be paid, the leader is first in line. The leader doesn’t crack the whip to get the line moving. The leader leads.

Pain-bearers are followed more than feared.

Don't Stop Believing

That is the most downloaded song written in the 20^th century. “Just Stop Believing” would not have been a big seller. Most people need encouragement to keep going. 

Right now, if you are doing anything at all out of obedience to God, there is probably some reason to quit. You likely face pressure to give up. 

Don’t let the critics, the doubters, or the haters distract you from carrying out God’s dream. "Shake it off!" Keep your eyes on the God who holds your destiny. 

Keep building with one hand and keep defending with the other…and never, ever give up.