I once heard a sermon given by Francis Schaeffer in which he counseled his listeners that if they were ever faced with two options, and one would lead to better pay, more fame, and greater recognition, while the other led to poverty and obscurity, we should choose the lesser and more humble of the two.
Why?
Francis Schaeffer based this statement on James 4:10: “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
Francis Schaeffer, of course, enjoyed much fame and popularity. He was a well-known author, and people traveled from all over the world to meet him and learn from him at L’Abri in Switzerland. I wondered then, and I still wonder now: Did Schaeffer follow his own advice? Or was this just the advice he was offering now, after he had achieved world-wide recognition and fame?
It often seems to me that the only ones who say this are those who are already famous. Who are already published. Who have already “arrived.” They preach it at conferences where they have been asked to speak. They tell it to radio audiences.
I cannot help but wonder, “Did they choose the way of weakness to get where they are at? Did they follow the path of poverty? Did they humble themselves, and let God lift them up?”
Furthermore, how do they know when it is God lifting them up, and not themselves? I mean, how did Francis Schaeffer get his first book deal? Did he submit a manuscript? Did the publisher contact him? Either way, he ended up getting published. How is that choosing obscurity?
The same questions could be asked of all popular teachers who proclaim that the way forward is the way backward, and the way up is the way down.
Let me just admit it. I DON’T UNDERSTAND!
Oh sure… I suppose that if I wanted to, I could point to hundreds of choices in my life where I have chosen weakness over strength, humility over pride, and service over selfishness. My life is anything but secure and comfortable (unless I compare it to 90% of the rest of the world). I have no upward mobility. I am not successful, independent, well-known, or rich.
But that’s not the point. I still check my blog stats every day, and I hope they go up. I do what I can to get that number on the top-right of this blog to grow. I hope I can get my books published. But how will any of this happen without some self-promotion?
People say that Jesus was the perfect model of this downward mobility into self-sacrificing service. But is he really? Though we never once see Him promoting a book, trying to be heard, or hoping to spread his name, those miracles of his did a pretty good job of creating name-recognition.
The common response is that Jesus did these things not for Himself, but for “the glory of God.” Well, that’s true. But when I see mega-millionaire ministry leaders flying to Africa so they can feed the hungry in front of television cameras all for “the glory of God” I get a little hesitant about saying that my blogging goals or publishing dreams are also for “the glory of God.” It sounds like just another form of self-promotion.
When people say, “Don’t thank me; thank Jesus” or “Don’t glorify me; glorify God who is working through me,” all they are really saying is, “Look how holy and humble I am!”
So I’m stuck. I think in the end I am just going to do the best with what I have, and move forward with my dreams, goals, and ambitions, trusting that I can love and serve others along the way. And if it all turns out to be selfish ambition and vain conceit, well, thank God for His grace!
Unless maybe you have a better solution?
* * * * * * * * * *
This post is part of the October Synchroblog which is based on the theme of Downward Mobility from Kathy Escobar’s book, Down We Go
Here is a list of the other contributors to this Synchroblog:
- Alan Knox – How Low Can You Go
- Glenn Hager – Pretty People
- David Derbershire – Reaching The Inner City
- Tammy Carter – Flight Plan
- Leah Randall – Jacked Up
- Leah Randall (her other voice) – How Low Can We Go
- Liz Dyer – Beautiful Mess
- Maria Anderson – Down
- Christine Sine – There Is No Failure In The Kingdom of God
- Leah Sophia – Down We Go
- Hugh Hollowell – Downward
- Kathy Escobar – We May Look Like Losers – Redux
- Anthony Ehrhardt – Slumming It For Jesus
- Sonja Andrews – Diversion and Distraction
I guess what we do means nothing, but what Christ does through us means everything.
Swanny,
Yes. But how can we know which is which?
No flippin’ clue.
It has been a while but if I remember correctly George Mueller fed and clothed and untold number of children in the orphanage he was responsible for and from what I remember, he told no one, save God alone.
If we somehow learn to follow Jesus as His disciple, take our direction from Him alone I think we will find our way, our way of humility apart from the limelight and if we are discovered, so what. It didn’t seem to change Brother George.
It is a vain thing to write a book this is true but how else are you going to heard? I ahve read books by humble men and those penned by braggarts. I have kept those humbly written.
Peace,
I think maybe this way of humility and service might be one of the mysterious paradoxes of following Jesus. It is a constant balancing act.
This is very thought-provoking for me as I have my first, and probably only book nearing its release date. I find myself in the same predicament in that my motivation for writing came from my heart’s desire to be obedient, but now I am discussing marketing strategies in order to “promote” the book. It is very difficult to keep the original focus, but I am trying to remind myself daily what the purpose for writing was and let God do the rest. What that means to me is that I will take advantage of every opportunity to share with others the hope that I have and if God opens a door, go through it while not trying to push any others down. I would welcome any other advice!
Laurie,
You might have hit on something there. Far too often, modern “self-promotion” requires us to push others down. That, I believe, is not what Jesus wants.
If, however, we can lift up what we have done, and in the process, raise others up also, this is a more Christ-like way.
I feel your pain, Jeremy.
Laurie has already mentioned it. I have written a couple of books and I have a few more in the works. Publishers and agents seem to be more interested in platform than content. Book proposals are expected to include marketing strategies. The author is the primary promoter, they say. It can be very frustrating.
If I were the pastor of a megachurch with 10,000 weekly attenders, the publishers would be knocking on my door. Instead, I have to build a platform, self-promote, market, advertise, etc. etc.
I often tell people, “It’s one thing to write a book. It’s another thing to sell it.”
The irony for me is my next book is on selfless living. My challenge is how to self-promote my book on selflessness. 🙂
I used to joke in college that I was going to write a book called, “The Three Most Humble Men in the World, and How I Led the Other Two to Christ”
I hope you get your platform developed, and get those books published!
Jeremy – I love your honesty and I have had some of the same questions when it comes to this subject. I think the comments and replies above have fleshed out some of the ideas I have about this. First, I don’t know that I would agree with Schaeffer’s remark. I don’t know that being humble, putting other people’s interest above your own, loving the unlovable etc. necessarily means that one would always seek a demotion in their career. It might mean that in a specific circumstance but I don’t see it as an across the board solution. As you said,I think we should do the best we can with what we have to promote the Kingdom of God here on earth. Sometimes that means that one needs to write a book, get it published and promote it.
I also agree that I am confused about the idea of Christ doing something through me and me doing something in my own strength. I do believe that God is able to work through me but I don’t think that means that I don’t have to put my heart and soul and energy and sweat and tears into what is being done. I guess I would say that in order for God to work through me I have to be working hard to accomplish what I believe would be his will and hope that if I am misguided that he would enlighten me. And in order for me to be able to be guided by him I need to remain humble about what I believe to be his will.
I have to agree humility and book promotion do not go together, at least not in my experience. The actual writing never seemed to be in conflict for me but the need to “sale myself” and my book require the opposite of humility and I find it to be very difficult.
I guess in looking at Paul, I see writing, speaking and promoting but of course Paul was not trying to drive up blog stats or meet sales goals.
Thanks Liz and Wendy,
There is lots to think on. I want to love and serve others in humility, but I also want to teach to others what I think I have learned along the way. There is probably some sort of fine balance to walk in the process.
Someone told me once, “You will know if someone really considers him/herself a servant by the way that person acts when you treat them like a servant.” Take advantage of me… go ahead. 🙂
-Alan
YIKES! Open the door for possibly getting trampled! I think respect has to be somewhere in there whether or that person is going to act in resentment!
Alan,
Interesting. Did you treat him like a servant? How did he respond?
Wonderful post, Jeremy. I had similar thoughts this week–have them all the time when I tweet my new posts or share on Facebook. Does “laying it down” call for a “sinking into oblivion” in which we never call attention to ourselves? Brother, I read what you and our fellow bloggers write and I see the imprint of Christ in you, see His Kingdom through you. So…I ask you: What is it that motivates you to write? Is it to glorify Jeremy? (If that’s it you’re doing a poor job. LOL) Surely you MUST already know what many of my friends will tell you. They don’t make much money with their books about Jesus. And it almost costs them more to self-promote the books than they make, but still they do it. So…what is it that causes you to write despite this self-searching? I suspect you get that same, familiar burning in the bones I get when you say “I won’t speak of Him.” So…speak of Him. You have been made holy because He is holy and you are clothed in His righteousness. Don’t hide your light under a bushel. This is your gift and your calling…speak of Him!
Leah,
As I read your comment, I sense truth. God made us who we are, and we must be that, or else we are not fulfilling our divine calling or using the gifts He so graciously provided.
I definitely don’t think I am in it for myself. I have often thought of writing under a pseudonym, but the reasons for that were selfish, and decided against it (It was so I could say things without being held accountable for them).
Anyway, lots more to think on. Thanks!
Jeremy,
while reading your blog, Mother Theresa came to mind as an example of downward mobility and not being published……
at the same time the parable of the talents came to mind and having grown up in Brazil, with parents who were peasants in pre-communist Russia, it was ingrained in me to become an engineer to be successful which I became after i came to the “land of milk and honney, where money grows on trees” and many foreigners aspire to do the same to come and live here, the good ol USA…
i think, the answer, besides blowing in the wind, is to use what you been given/obtained/achieved in humble service on a day to day basis; i could have build up my financial resources to a much lgreater extent and hoardit if i had chosen and foccused all my energies on it, but i traded it off and hope that i mostly chose well…and eventually will hear the words…well done my faithfull servant…. BTW, i have not written a book, but did get $5 from my company from a patent on a simple design…:-)
Carlos,
I think you stated what I am coming to conclude:
…use what you been given/obtained/achieved in humble service on a day to day basis.
If God gave us something, it is actually pride to say, “Out of humility I am not going to use this gift to best of my ability.”
So, we’re all doing a little wrestling on pride and humility…tricky dance. I’m not sure I have any kind of answers or input except realizing that God can move us up/down, sideways and all over regardless of our glorifying motives. He does however “work for” some very deceitful and mean people(us)!
It is a dance, and the dancing partners don’t care for each other much. Each is trying to take the lead.
Thanks, Tammy!
great questions, thanks for your honesty
Thank you, Sally!