I have never wanted to be a ladder-climber or name-dropper. That is not to say that ambition has never aroused temptation. Sadly, I confess there have even been occasions I succumbed and yielded to sin.
To be well-known, to see your name printed on a program, to be recognized and given an opportunity to preach to thousands of preachers at a conference—that holds a powerful appeal.
We must purge the urge for a name associated with fame.
The Lord knows our name. He knows where we are. We need not envy another who may have attained great notoriety among men as a preacher. It may well be that at the Judgment Seat of Christ, those we might expect to be invited to the head table, will need to move back, and make way for some obscure pastor of a tiny country church to be summoned to come sit beside the Lord!
So [Jesus] told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:7-11 NKJV)
The Lord knows our name and that is enough!
I read this from Stephen Olford:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’” – John 20:16
Earlier in this Gospel, the Lord Jesus had given expression to these words, “He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name” (John 10:2, 3).
The Lord Jesus had just opened the door or way to the Father by His death and resurrection. He now stood before one of His puzzled and confused sheep. “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’” He called His own sheep by name and the sheep knew His voice and followed Him.
It is grand to know that He has my name carved on the very palms of His hands.
May I ever be ready to hear my name called, and reply, “Master!”
This is a truth that speaks to all God’s children. Yet, I share it is a particular encouragement for you men of God who labor in obscurity. The Lord is watching. ”For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.“ (Hebrews 6:10)
