Man Made Schemes

Why is it that we often think we can out think God and develop programs and procedures that are better than any that He could develop.

I am not suggesting that we should not think of new things and do them. We must be careful that whatever we do does not contradict what God says we should do. When He says that He will make us "fishers of men," then we should be sure that we are keep in the fishing business. While we were in the Philippines, we saw many different groups come and go. We had one basketball team that came and travelled around the country playing different basketball teams all over the place. These young men who came would take the half-time of the game and give their testimonies to the crowd and to the other team. They remained after the game and talked one on one with anyone who would listen. They were most effective in this method of fishing for men.

At the same time we had other student groups which came and were not nearly as dedicated to seeing their contacts come to Christ as they were interested in passing on their areas of expertise to the people. The basketball team were not trying to make new basketball players. One musical team seemed to be more interested in making better musicians. Incidentally the Filipinos were already superb musicians and could teach us a lot about being better musicians.

Programs rise and fall on the commitment of the participants. We can develop what I call a guru mentality very quickly. The successful person becomes a resource for all who want to become successful. That is natural, but it is also dangerous. The worst thing that can happen to a child of God is to receive adulation and then expect it from every follower who comes along. Many well intentioned leaders have fallen for the feeling that what they were doing came from them rather than from God.

The best program ever developed can fail when the one who is using it fails to understand that it came from God rather than from man. We have nothing to offer God and He has everything to offer us. We need to be constantly at His feet as we carry out His work.