There was a Youth Conference held in the central part of India. Two different speakers were invited. One was called a celebrity, came with pomp, and a music team. Usually, he took double the time he was allotted and thus robbed other speaker’s time. With different gimmicks, gestures, and speech with doses of mimicry he enthralled the young people. It was indeed a great entertainment, but spiritually a vanity affair. In the last session came the other preacher who simple, not eloquent, monotonous, did not raise his voice, did not even move like a statue. With unction of Holy Spirit, his message penetrated the hearts and minds of young people. When he gave altar call for missions, more than half the crowd stood up, committed to go and make disciples for the Lord.
“The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.” (Ecclesiastes 9:17) The preacher who was calm, but had wisdom for God moved hearts of people to sacrifice for the Lord. The other preacher had pomp, great abilities, wonderful orator, animator; yet he could not touch the lives of people. The reason was, he operated on his own, without anointing of the Holy Spirit. The Preacher of Jerusalem (probably Solomon) compared such pomp animators to ‘a ruler among fools.’
Speaking skills, oratory, rhetoric, gestures… all are good communication tactics. If these are not surrendered to the Lord, consecrated in the altar; God cannot use them. These are like tools lying useless, instead of being in the hands of the Master and Lord. Humble, monotonous preacher was instrument in the hands of God. It is not about ability, but availability for Master’s use.
Let us surrender ourselves, with all that is ours: talents, abilities, gifts, resources and skills. Then God can use us as His Holy instruments to fulfil his purpose. Instead of being ‘voice’ we will just be a useless, irritating ‘noise.’
Do I pursue pomp or power by surrender to the Lord?