Today's Devotional Thought
August 19, 2011 by Wendy Foreman
I'm Not Your Jesus
"I'm not your Jesus." Those were the words I was thinking as I was talking to a friend. I know those words sound harsh, but they are the truth.
Our verse today states it well. No man deserves glory. We can not have someone in our lives that we make our Jesus. We just can't.
If you are in any form of leadership in your church or Christian organization then you know what I am talking about. In ministry, you often reach out to others and you want to help them. You mentor others, point others to Jesus and love others. But, what I have found is that sometimes, when you begin to encourage others to grow in their faith and in their relationships with others by joining a Bible Study or get together with other women for lunch, they immediately feel as though you are letting them down.
Why are you backing off? Why aren't you still there for them all the time? Why are you pushing me to others?
You still love them and you are doing what you are doing so that they can grow in the Lord on their own, but they don't see it that way. You see, the biggest struggle many of us in ministry have is that people sometimes link us to Jesus and when we lead them to Him they think we are some how connected to Him and the only way they can find him. And, we actually begin to become their Jesus.
I have been in ministry for 17 years and I have had many ups and downs. I have mentored people, I have loved people, I have counseled people and in the end, quite honestly, I have been hurt beyond words. I can tell you that I have been linked to Jesus many times because many people think that if you are a Pastor or Pastor's wife you must be the next thing to Him. Some of you are laughing and think that is ridiculous, but friends it happens more than you realize. Others of you are reading this and think, "I totally get it and face the same thing."
So what do we do if people come into our lives and connect to us in a way that is unhealthy emotionally and spiritually?
I wish I could tell you there is an easy answer to that question, but I haven't found one.
We, as Christians, are all called to tell others about Jesus. We have a responsibility to tell them and then show them how to grow in their faith. I have struggled even recently with the concept of am I enough to the women that God has put in my life to encourage in their walk? I want to be everything to everyone and show them the love of Jesus and help them grow in their faith. When I can't be to them what they feel they need, I fall apart and feel as though I have failed.
Have you ever felt this way?
Did you catch, though, that it comes down to what they think they need from me, not what God feels they need. There comes a time in EVERY relationship when Jesus has to be enough and not the other person. Relationships will be unhealthy if we attempt to make the other person our Jesus. No matter who it is, your spouse, your child, or a woman from your church or neighborhood, you can encourage them in the Lord, teach them from His word, but they must step out in their faith and make Jesus their own. None of us can take the place of Jesus in someone's life.
If you are reading this today and you are mentoring someone and feel as though you are being linked to Jesus in an unhealthy way, let me suggest that you talk to that person and explain exactly what your role is in their life. You can definitely be their friend, encourage them, and hold them accountable, but you can not be their Jesus.
If you are reading this and you are a person that is clinging to someone in your life as your Jesus, let me first tell you that that person will let you down. They aren't Jesus and they can't be your everything. You must step out and get to know Jesus in a real and personal way. That person in your life who has been there for you to help you grow spiritually can still be there and God wants them there to help keep you accountable in your walk with the Lord. But you must make God your own and he is simply waiting for you to make Him your own.
We all love having someone in our lives who demonstrates Jesus' traits and how we should live. There is nothing wrong with that. We love having a sister in Christ who will pray with us, cry with us and encourage us. But be very careful, friends, that you let no one take the place of Jesus.
To everyone today I simply say allow Jesus to have His rightful place in your life.
December