A Warning
Take heed to yourselves, lest you be void of that saving grace of God which you offer to others, and be strangers to the effectual working of that gospel which you preach; and lest, while you proclaim to the world the necessity of a Savior, your own hearts should neglect him, and you should miss of an interest in him and his saving benefits. Take heed to yourselves, lest you perish, while you call upon others to take heed of perishing; and lest you famish yourselves while you prepare food for them.
Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor
To be a Christian leader does not mean you have arrived and must no longer seek to be sanctified and right before God. And while it is a noble thought to put the needs of others before our own, we can only lead them to grow as much as we ourselves have grown. The greatest gift you can give a disciple isn’t your full attention and all of your energy – but a healthy example of someone who, while more mature, still depends daily on the grace of God to carry on. Doing ministry (or just doing life) in our own strength wears us out, frustrates us and benefits no one. Most of all though, it only accomplishes reasonable, doable goals which give no glory to God. As someone who has been great at faking it, I can say confidently that transparency and authenticity and brokenness beat out the illusion of perfection every time. Perfection doesn’t inspire anyone to come to Christ; I would argue it actually drives them away.
