God's Standards for Leaders: Faithfulness Over Fame

Devotional

Day 1: Faithfulness as a Steadfast Journey

Faithfulness is a quality that God values above all else, especially in a world that often celebrates the flashy and the famous. The story of Shuffles, the 80-year-old tortoise, serves as a metaphor for the kind of longevity and steadfastness that God desires from His followers. Faithfulness may not be as exciting as fame, but it is the foundation of a life well-lived in service to God. As believers, we are called to be faithful stewards of God's Word, prioritizing a long-term commitment to His teachings over the allure of temporary recognition. [05:54]

"Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." (1 Corinthians 4:2, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you tempted to seek recognition over faithfulness? How can you commit to a path of steadfastness in those areas today?

Day 2: Seeking Divine Approval

In a world where human approval often seems paramount, God's approval is what truly matters. The life of Maria Dyer, a missionary who faced criticism and hardship, exemplifies the pursuit of God's approval above all else. Our worth and validation come from God, and it is His judgment that matters. This perspective frees us from the burden of seeking validation from others and allows us to serve with a pure heart, focused on God's glory. By seeking God's commendation, we align our lives with His purpose and find true fulfillment. [15:54]

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a recent decision where you sought human approval. How might that decision have changed if you had prioritized God's approval instead?

Day 3: The Enduring Power of Character

While charisma can attract attention, it is character that sustains a leader's ministry. The Apostle Paul exemplified this by enduring hardships and remaining steadfast in his mission. True leadership is not about being in the spotlight but about serving faithfully, even when it means being perceived as "the scum of the world." Our call is to develop a character that reflects Christ, prioritizing integrity and spiritual maturity over outward appearances. In doing so, we build a foundation that can withstand the trials of life and ministry. [27:19]

"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'" (1 Samuel 16:7, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a situation where you have relied on charisma rather than character. How can you shift your focus to developing a Christ-like character in that area?

Day 4: The Intentions of the Heart

God knows the hidden purposes of our hearts, and He calls us to serve with genuine intentions. Our service should not be for the approval of others or to mask our brokenness but should be an outpouring of gratitude for God's grace. Rooted in the transformative power of the cross, our actions should reflect a heart aligned with God's will. By examining our intentions, we can ensure that our service is authentic and pleasing to God, leading to a more fulfilling spiritual journey. [22:19]

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent act of service. Were your intentions aligned with God's will, or were they influenced by a desire for approval? How can you purify your motives?

Day 5: Following Christ's Example

Jesus is our ultimate example of leadership, embodying humility, sacrifice, and service. His life sets the standard for us as we strive to live and serve in a way that points others to Him. By following in His footsteps, we are called to embody His values in our daily lives, prioritizing love, compassion, and selflessness. As we seek to reflect Christ in our actions, we become beacons of His light in a world that desperately needs His love and truth. [31:17]

"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:21, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you can better reflect Christ's example. What practical steps can you take today to embody His values in that area?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the question of what kind of pastors and leaders we desire versus what God desires for His church. It's easy to be swayed by worldly standards—seeking leaders who are charismatic, trendy, or emotionally engaging. However, God calls us to a different standard, one rooted in faithfulness, divine approval, and character. These are the qualities that should define our leaders and, indeed, all of us as followers of Christ.

Faithfulness is a key attribute that God values over fame. In a world that often celebrates the flashy and the famous, God calls us to be like the 80-year-old tortoise, Shuffles, who embodies longevity and steadfastness. Faithfulness may not be as exciting as fame, but it is what God requires of His stewards. As we navigate our spiritual journeys, we must ask ourselves if we are drawn to leaders because of their fame or because of their faithfulness to God's Word.

God's approval is more important than man's. The story of Maria Dyer, a missionary who faced criticism and hardship, reminds us that our ultimate goal should be to seek God's approval, not man's. Our worth and validation come from God, and it is His judgment that matters. This perspective frees us from the burden of seeking validation from others and allows us to serve with a pure heart, focused on God's glory.

Character surpasses charisma. While charisma can attract attention, it is character that sustains a leader's ministry. The Apostle Paul exemplified this by enduring hardships and remaining steadfast in his mission. True leadership is not about being in the spotlight but about serving faithfully, even when it means being perceived as "the scum of the world." Our call is to develop a character that reflects Christ, prioritizing integrity and spiritual maturity over outward appearances.

As we consider the kind of leaders we want, we must also reflect on the kind of followers we are. These principles of faithfulness, seeking God's approval, and valuing character over charisma are not just for leaders but for every believer. We are all called to live in a way that points others to Jesus, embodying His values in our daily lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Faithfulness Over Fame: In a culture that idolizes fame, God calls us to be faithful stewards of His Word. Like the tortoise Shuffles, longevity and steadfastness in our spiritual walk are what God values. Faithfulness may not be flashy, but it is the foundation of a life well-lived in service to God. [05:54]
2. God's Approval Over Man's: Our worth is not determined by human approval but by God's. Maria Dyer's life exemplifies the pursuit of God's approval, even amidst criticism and hardship. We are called to serve with a pure heart, seeking God's commendation above all else. [15:54]
3. Character Over Charisma: True leadership is rooted in character, not charisma. The Apostle Paul's life demonstrates that enduring hardships with integrity is more valuable than seeking the spotlight. Our call is to develop a character that reflects Christ, prioritizing spiritual maturity over outward appearances. [27:19]
4. The Heart's Intentions: God knows the hidden purposes of our hearts. We must serve with genuine intentions, not for the approval of others or to mask our brokenness. Our service should be an outpouring of gratitude for God's grace, rooted in the transformative power of the cross. [22:19]
5. Following Christ's Example: Jesus is our ultimate example of leadership. His life of humility, sacrifice, and service sets the standard for us. As we follow in His footsteps, we are called to live and serve in a way that points others to Him, embodying His values in our daily lives. [31:17]
** [31:17]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:16] - What Kind of Pastor Does God Want?
[05:54] - Faithfulness Over Fame
[08:28] - The Example of Shuffles the Tortoise
[10:32] - Stewards of God's Mysteries
[15:54] - God's Approval Over Man's
[17:36] - The Story of Maria Dyer
[22:19] - The Heart's Intentions
[23:49] - Serving with Pure Motives
[27:19] - Character Over Charisma
[29:57] - Paul's Experience of Leadership
[31:17] - Following Christ's Example
[33:00] - Conclusion and Call to Action

Sermon Clips

1) "Faithfulness is a better attribute of a spiritual leader than fame. Over this last summer, my family and I had an opportunity to go to Zoo Atlanta. We went and we checked out the pandas. Anybody heard about the pandas? The pandas are leaving the United States. The last couple are there in the Zoo Atlanta. We said, okay, okay, we'll go and we'll check it out on the way home from Florida. We got over there, and the pandas were kind of at the end of the zoo, so we're making our way through, and my kids are asking, Dad, what is your favorite animal? And I thought to myself, well, I'm in my 30s, and I honestly don't give a whole lot of thought to what's my favorite animal, right? You may have that at our house. We've gone through a number of them. One of our kids' favorite animal is an otter, or maybe it's a giraffe, maybe it's the penguins, maybe it's the elephant. But as we were there working our way through, on our way to the pandas, these famous pandas, we came across one that really stuck out to me. And I got a picture here. Let's go ahead and show that. Here is a picture of a giant tortoise named Shuffles. That must be how he's getting around, shuffling along. And Shuffles is about 80 years old." [05:54] (81 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "Faithfulness is more important than fame. If you've got your copy of God's Word with you, go ahead and turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 4. 1 Corinthians chapter 4. We'll be walking through our text, so make sure if you've got your Bible app or your Bible, go ahead and open with me. If you don't have one, we've got some Bibles in the back there. You can grab one. And in chapter 4, starting in verse 1, the Apostle Paul starts to talk about this is what leaders should look like. The Apostle Paul had a crazy testimony. He was one that was killing Christians, opposed to and hated Christians. He was one that was killing Christians. He was one that was hating Jesus because this guy was not doing the things that Paul thought were right. Then he came face to face with Jesus. He was transformed, mind, body, and soul. And now he lives unashamedly for Jesus proclaiming the gospel. And he had gone and planted a church. And a few years later, he's hearing that there's problems and he's writing and saying, hey, you guys, your perception of leadership is all wrong. You guys are taking the world's cues on leadership and you're leaving behind the example that Jesus set for us." [08:28] (73 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "God's approval is better than man's. God's approval of you is far more valuable than the approval of other people around you. I love the story of a lady named Maria Dyer. Maria Dyer, I think we've got a picture of her. She was born in 1837, and her parents served on the mission field proclaiming the gospel in China. And somewhere along the way, her parents both passed away. So she came back to England, and she was there for a while, was raised by some family members. And when she turned 16, she didn't go, she may have gotten her driver's, did they have cars back then? No. She didn't go to get her driver's license. She decided, hey, I'm 16, I'm going back to China. I got to go proclaim the gospel. It's what I've been called to do. She went there. About five years later, as she was doing ministry, proclaiming the gospel, she got married to a guy you may have heard of, named Hudson T. Taylor. Hudson Taylor, a famous missionary man, well known for his life of ministry, faith, and sacrifice. And their service was often criticized by people around them, who would say, you guys are going too far. You're too devoted to this. You've done too much. Maybe they didn't like some of the ways that they were doing this, and they experienced a lot of suffering." [15:54] (88 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "It even may be an internal thing. An internal thing where you've got the temptation to try to look good on the outside, even though on the inside you know you're at a deep place of brokenness. I want to encourage you, pursue God's approval. And the thing you need to know about this is God's approval, it doesn't come from our good works. The first stop in God's approval is at the foot of the cross. To say, hey, Jesus' blood is the only thing that's going to get me in a good standing with God. That's the only way I can get a stamp of God's approval. That's the only way I can get a stamp of God's love approved. Jesus, I repent of my sin. I don't want that stuff anymore. I put my full trust in you to save me. At that moment, you're saved and you are 100 % approved, guaranteed an eternity in the presence of our almighty God. Amen? Amen. That's what gets you into the kingdom of God. And from that point, we say, I'm going to serve from a pure heart out of gratitude for God's glory, not my own." [22:19] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "Character is better than charisma. Character, that internal quality of spiritual maturity, and obedience is better than charisma, being flashy, being exciting. You know, last night, my family and I, we got to go to a concert. We went up to Rockford. And so who was playing, not Mercy, me. I always get them mixed up. Casting Crowns, Mack Powell from Third Day, Katie Nicole, any Katie Nicole fans in the house? She's great. And man, we got there 20 minutes and she went first. We missed her whole set. My kids were crying. I'm like, oh no. That's all right. Good night of worship anyway. But as we were listening, one of the last songs that Casting Crowns played is a song that really resonates with me called Nobody. Nobody. I don't know, maybe you've heard this song. It goes like this. I'm just a nobody trying to tell everybody all about somebody. who saved my soul. Ever since you rescued me, you gave my heart a song to sing. I'm living for the world to see, nobody but Jesus. And that's at the heart of character, right? Hey, I'm here, seeking to point people to Jesus. It's not about me being charismatic or getting out there and being flashy and impressive to people. The call for us is one of character." [23:49] (95 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "So when we ask this question, what kind of pastor is it that you want? The answer is faithful. When we ask what kind of elders do we want? The answer is elders that are approved by God. When we ask what kind of ministry leaders is it that we want here at Village? It's the people who have character on the inside because of what God's doing in their hearts. But this isn't just for leaders. These things are a call to every single one of us. You may currently be in a leadership role or you may not be. And if you're not in a leadership role, God may be preparing you for a season. of impact through leadership. God may be preparing you for an opportunity to invest in others, to oversee some aspect of ministry here at the church. We've got a long list of opportunities of places where we need leaders here within our church. And so as you walk through life, I encourage you, don't just look at these three things, faithfulness, God's approval, and character. Don't just look at that, okay, I'm going to judge my pastor, and my elders on this, all right. I'm going to keep an eye out for when I can catch them falling or something like that. No, I want to encourage you, take to heart these challenges for yourself. And may each one of us live in that way for the moment when God calls us to step up." [31:17] (96 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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