via TJC
“I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, because I have given them the words you gave me.” John 17:6-8.
As Kingdom Men, we walk in the knowledge that EVERYTHING we have is from the Father. Everything we inherit and steward is because of the Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:3). Though we didn’t build it, or create our provisions and opportunities, as God reminds Job, (Job 38-39) doesn’t mean that we don’t have authority and responsibility. In fact, our responsibility is greater than the others in our sphere of influence who don’t know the Lord or misunderstand who He is. We are to be excellent with our authority. It’s our responsibility to use humility to point toward and glorify the Father.
One of our TJC leaders explains humility this way, “Humility is not downplaying your excellence. Humility is being excellent and giving God the credit.” This is what Jesus affirmed to the Father before He prayed for you. He said, “they know that everything you have given me is from You, because I have given them the words You gave Me.”
We’re currently wrapping up a few projects at our house. Yesterday, the project foreman came by to talk about the punch list. As my wife and I were talking with him he shared some of the frustrations regarding his vendors and even his own company. He told us how much he loves his work and you could see the pride on his face as he talked about it. He said it’s really difficult to be the “face of the company” with the clients when all they get is delays, bad news and disappointment. He said he does his best to calm the situation and set realistic expectations and when he does it seems to be appreciated. He talked about one homeowner that really “let him have it” and then apologized after seeing his calm response. As we were talking I noticed a Philippians 4:13 bracelet on his wrist. After we worked through the items on our list I asked him “how we can pray for you?” and we prayed right then! After we prayed he said, “You know what? After I met you guys the first time, I went back to my office and told the team, “those people are really nice. They are special. There is something about them. They deserve better than the level of service they are receiving.””
This man is a face for his company, but he is an Ambassador for the Kingdom. He works with an excellence that is not for his sake (or his company’s) but for that of the Kingdom. He serves as if he is serving the King (Matthew 25:35-46). At that moment, three Ambassadors (our guest, my wife and I) communed around our kitchen table. Each of us in our own way exercised our authority and spoke words and truth as revealed to us by Christ to bolster the other in an excellence that pointed to the Father.
Daily Battle Order:
Define excellence and humility for yourself. Write it down and share it with the men you are building as disciple makers. Then ask, how is the definition you have pointing to God? Lastly, put the answer into consistent action!