The Blessing of the Work, Not the Worker

James 1: 22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”

When we are living out our faith by helping others we often have underlying motives that betray us. We want to be blessed in who we are. But this passage in James says something else - it says we will be blessed in what we do. That's a big difference. The action we are performing - feeding the poor, counseling a brother or sister, visiting the sick - that will be blessed.

If we truly want to be an effective ambassador of Christ in this world, if we truly want to see people healed, then this is exactly what we want the promise to be. That the work will be blessed, not the workers. It goes against every popular teaching. It goes against the desires of my flesh. It cuts across the nerve center of my natural man. I want to be lifted up in my self-sacrificial ministry. I want to receive the praise of man.

Jesus states in John 5:41 - 44: "I do not accept praise from men, but I know you, I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in My Father's name, and you do not accept Me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?"

Do you see what Jesus is saying? He is saying that when we are seeking the praise of man, we do not have the love of God in our hearts, we have the love man! We will accept words from men and we will accept their praise, but we do not seek out the praise of God. Jesus says that in this case . . . . . we don't really believe. So, just to get this straight, when we are seeking the praise and acceptance of man, we don't really believe, and we don't have the love of God. In a moment of honesty, I would have to admit that this is one of my biggest hurdles. I want the praise of man. I want their acceptance. I have to be broken of this for any fruitful ministry to take place in my life.

My goal for this year is to be a true Drink Offering. The drink offering was poured on the sacrifice and burned into it, never to be seen again. The only thing that was seen was The Sacrifice. We become part of the aroma, that's all. But that's good enough for me, because II Corinthians 2:15 tells us that the aroma of Christ brings healing and life to those who are seeking Him. So what if no one ever notices me . . . . the work will be blessed.

I want the work to be blessed. I want to see people healed, lives changed, the lost come to Christ, the poor fed and clothed, the church united, relationships mended, forgiveness poured out, . . . I want to see THAT happen. I don't want or need to be lifted up in the process. I don't need to be blessed for who I am. When I'm walking in the Spirit, I want to see the work prosper and God be praised.