Kingdom Promotion

 

I have a coworker named Jen who became a very dear friend of mine.  Watching God work in her life has been such an inspiration.   

I remember our private conversations in the office, when we dreamed of eventually growing our careers and opening our own practice.  We laughed over who would take on what role and who we’d hire to work for us.   

Now obviously we weren't entirely serious, but we were very ambitious about advancing our professional careers.   

However, life has its way of taking us where we’d least expect.   

Fast forward to 2020, Jen and I both reluctantly resigned so that we can care for our children during the covid-19 pandemic.  We supported each other in this new season of our lives.  Over time we really come to enjoy and embrace motherhood.  We learned to value the time we now had to invest into our families.  “We missed so much as working moms”, we both agreed.   

Recently Jen took on a teaching job at the private christian school her children attend.  I couldn’t help but notice the excitement in her tone as she shared her big news with me.  Though professionally, she was totally overqualified for the job.  

She was most pleased with the fact that she was now going to be in an environment where she can impact individuals with her faith and beliefs.  Jen saw opportunity and promotion where most would have assumed it a major professional setback. 

While we were chatting, I was reminded of a story from the life of King David.  David was just getting accustomed to his new royal role as King.  He was on a public mission to bring the Ark of God back to the city of David. While David’s family were in the luxurious palace, David was having the time of his life with the common folk of the city.   The Bible says David’s wife Michal was watching him out of the window.

As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart.  (2 Sa. 6:16 BSB)

Upon his return to the palace, she began to despise him for putting himself down so low as King.  Notice what she says,

How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do! (vs.21)

But David humbly replies…

and I will dishonor myself and humble myself even more. However, by the slave girls you spoke about, I will be honored.” (vs.22)

David saw what Michal didn’t.

David saw promotion where Michal saw lost dignity.  

“These common slave girls you despise will one day bring me much honor”, David said.

You see, it is through our self abasement and humble service that God advances our impact in his Kingdom.  In a world where it's so popular to climb the corporate ladder, in God's Kingdom, it's those that climb down that find true greatness. God promotes them to higher levels of influence. 

David was very familiar with this truth therefore was willing to humble himself ever more.  No job was too low for him, regardless of the title he publicly held.

 

Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal.

-MOTHER TERESA

 

Supporting Text

 

Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel?  (1 Sa. 15:17)

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:…but made himself of no reputation …form of a servant….he humbled himself….wherefore God also hath highly exalted him…(Phil. 2:5-7)

God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. (Ja. 4:6)