This is a strange irony, and I believe it is part of where what I refer to as "personality-based" ministries come from. The other part contributing to them is the personality accepting the attention. And I typically have ample disdain for both; as if my disdain is more acceptable than the distraction in the first place.
It is a challenge I used to face, just not because I was all that great a preacher. I think people truly do not know what to say when they have enjoyed a sermon. For whatever reason they seemed uncomfortable telling the guy who just spoke for 30 minutes and kept your attention that they were grateful to their Master for the word spoken. I know that I have felt weird when it was my turn in the "receiving line" after someone else's sermon; possibly because it's not easy for me to come off sincere. But even that is probably an excuse. The only reason it sounds insincere is because it's not used even occasionally. I heard such gratitude very rarely.
So skill, ability, talent, and gifting can become distractions from my Master who gave them. It would seem He would give them less just to avoid the distraction, but He doesn't.
But whenever I speak for my Master, then the responsibility to glorify my Master is mine. I need to deflect the attention to my Master. But Paul went even farther. In 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Paul claims he didn't use his skill to deliver the.good news of the mysteries of Jesus. This is an alternative that never occurred to me. Why would he do that? Because I can only control what I deliver, not what is done with it. By avoiding the pretty package, the 'packager' avoids attention.
Right now I don't have to worry about this, bu my time will come in our new place. And I will need to be careful not to distract from my Master who sent me. I will need to learn to unlearn to rely on myself. I'm not looking forward to it.
Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest": July 17th.
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