Keeping the main thing, the main thing---

[DeanZF]

Part two.



This is not a mind game. It has to become reality in my life in order for me to move from human doing to human being. Think about powerful people that you've met.



Some people are powerful because of their position, their rank, or other label. Have you met these? They often make requirements of you, demanding respect, demanding recognition of their rank, demanding obeisance, demanding that you follow or do as you're told.



Some are powerful because of who they are, not because of what they do. Have you met these? They generally do not demand, but rather command. Command is not a military term in this case, but in one good English sense, it means to deserve and receive as due. Isn't that what Father does with us? He never demands that we worship Him. But His presence draws my attention. He deserves my all. He is due my attention and affection, but never demands it.



When we as leaders walk in the authority that God has given us, as the elders did in part one, there is no question about who we are. Again, this is all about a human simply BEing. No need to demand, just BE. God doesn't demand. He just IS. Even His name: I AM. It is very hard for this man to simply be. My questioning mind continually wants to finish the sentence, to be WHAT. No, just BE. Prayer and worship are expressions of my being, nothing more. For years, I would have defined myself primarily as a worshiper. I continue to work on just being, not being something. Does that make sense? When I learned to be comfortable just BEing, I found that people treat me differently. I don't have to ask for respect or my "due". It's not arrogance or attitude, it's confidence in Whose I am, a son of the King. That is Kingdom living in the shortest of terms, learning to live as a son of THE King!



Does worship drive the church? It shouldn't. Does prayer drive the church? Or missions or evangelism or teaching or education? Any one of those things can drive a church...or drive it crazy! None of these things should drive the church, in my opinion. We have to be careful to keep the Main Thing the main thing. This is subtle, but really important. Prayer is not the main thing. HE is the main thing. Worship is not the main thing (yes, you heard it from my cyber-lips), HE is the main thing. My love for Him drives all things. Yongee Cho had it right a long time ago: "I pray, I listen, I obey." My bishop has it right: Wait to hear Him. Listen to what He's saying, then act on what He is saying. Back to Revelation 5:8, that's what a good elder does.



One definition of "elder" is a senior member of a tribe who has influence or authority. He does not have to whump up anything. An elder simply by "being" has influence or authority. His white hair by implication says that he's lived a long time, experienced a lot, and has enough wisdom to have lived thus far. A favorite commercial from years gone by was about a financial advisor, that when the financial advisor spoke, everyone listened. Everything in the commercial stopped and ears were bent toward the speaker in anticipation of what was about to be said.



Are we that way with our God? Do we hang on His every word or even His very Word?