Focus on the right people – Do ministry thru others

I don't know if this something you're supposed to do as a blogger, but I'm essentially just pointing you to someone else's blog. Tim Casteel has a great blog on something I've been processing for almost a year now and trying to apply to what we do at SFA, Spiritual Mulitiplication/Selection. Check it out.
Focus on the right people – Do ministry thru others

Philippians 2 and Daryl Johnston

Philippians 2:3-4, "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

I wrestle with Philippians 2 often because if this is supposed to be true of me, it ain’t.

Spending time on campus, I want students to respect and admire me. I want our staff team to think I’m the greatest leader EVER. I not only think more highly of myself than I should but I want others to think highly of me. I want staff and students to grow in their walks with God and I want them to have an influence for Christ on campus, but to be honest, I want the credit and I want acknowledgement.

Scripture seems to teach that God doesn’t really go for that.
Then I wonder how a Philippians 2 heart and mind would affect my life and my work on campus. What would change if I considered my staff team more significant than myself and took the form of a servant? What would change if I saw students in that same way?

As I’ve given this thought, my mind goes to the position of fullback in football. Maybe it’s the two games I watched Thursday night beginning at 930, or it’s the three games I watched Saturday night after the kids went to bed (DVR is going to be the death of me), or maybe it's watching Boise State and Virginia Tech while also drafting my fantasy team but I’m in a football state of mind.

Specifically my mind goes to my favorite fullback of all time, Daryl Johnston. Although he made the pro-bowl a few times and is highly regarded by his peers, you rarely saw his face on advertisements or considered him one of the faces of the Dallas Cowboys. You never heard any commentator gush over his stats, because he didn’t have many. When reporters were allowed into the locker room they didn’t run to Johnston for a sound bit. When they assembled players for a press conference, you didn’t see Johnston sitting at the table.

And yet, if you’ve seen Emmitt Smith’s induction speech, his recognition of Daryl Johnston was the most moving moment. The only time he cried.

What if I could live out Philippians 2 and function like a fullback on campus at SFA (minus everyone yelling “moose” when I walk in the student center)? What if I lead the way, but sought out no credit, no honor for myself. What if I, in humility, counted others more significant than myself and looked to their interests?

Maybe I’m just having withdrawals because I haven’t watched any football in 36 hours.