“Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it.
Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.
For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord.
(Proverbs 8:33-35 NIV)
Last year during the arts camp five different people led devotions – one each of the five days. While they were all relevant and important topics to the young people gathered, something within me knew that they weren’t very connected. This year when I was working on the preparation for camp, I had a sense that I was supposed to lead the devotions, partly to tie them all together. I’m not a terrible public speaker, but I certainly don’t have the experience of a lifelong preacher, or the charm and charisma of an effective youth leader. But God gave me the topics for camp – building our foundation on the Word of God, listening to God’s Spirit within us when we create, praising & worshipping God with our gifts, sharing God’s story with servanthood and boldness – and I forged ahead. Overall, I think the devotions went pretty well. Except the last one.
I had asked someone else I know, respect, honor and trust to do the devotions on boldness, and they went in a different direction. They never spoke on the topic of BOLDNESS. (Trust me, this particular speaker is an expert in boldness. A 15 minute talk addressed to 10-18 year olds would be right up the proverbial alley.) Much of what they spoke on, while good and worthy, I had already talked about in the course of the week. And I had communicated the topic of boldness to this speaker several times, even suggested using the story of Peter walking on water as an illustration. I thought I was asking a better speaker/preacher to communicate the Word of God. A Word was communicated, but if it wasn’t what God wanted, then that’s not ok. Is it possible I mis-heard God and boldness wasn’t necessary; what was spoken on was? Yes, of course. But is it possible I did hear God? Yes.
I’ve been trying to figure out why I felt so annoyed with this incident. I realize that when you ask someone else to speak, you open the door to the possibility of them going places you didn’t intend. However, this person is someone who takes respect and honor very seriously, so I was surprised my request for the topic of boldness wasn’t honored. I take very seriously the responsibility of leading camp – especially from a vision and Spirit standpoint. I wonder if I didn’t fulfill all that God gave me to give to camp. If so, I’m sorry. I guess by now my prayer is that the campers heard exactly what God needed them to hear, irrespective of the circumstances. At any rate, this is a reminder that clear communication matters. And following the leading of the Holy Spirit matters. We can live in a place of godly boldness when we are in tune with God’s Spirit and obeying Jesus.
Hear again this story of Peter’s human boldness and God’s supernatural power that we can access:
The disciples, who were now in the middle of the lake, ran into trouble, for their boat was tossed about by the high winds and heavy seas. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the waves! When the disciples saw him walking on top of the water, they were terrified and screamed, “A ghost!” Then Jesus said, “Be brave and don’t be afraid. I am here!”
Peter shouted out, “Lord, if it’s really you, then have me join you on the water!”
“Come and join me,” Jesus replied.
So Peter stepped out onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus. But when he realized how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he cried out.
Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and lifted him up and said, “What little faith you have! Why would you let doubt win?”
And the very moment they both stepped into the boat, the raging wind ceased. Then all the disciples bowed down before him and worshiped Jesus. They said in adoration, “You are truly the Son of God!” (Matthew 14:24-33 TPT)
[UPDATE: I talked with this incident through with this speaker and we have a better understanding of working together.]
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Thank you for all that you communicate to and through us. Thank you for the spiritual seeds that were planted at the arts camp, and for your Word that is our foundation. Thank you for challenges and miscommunications that cause us to take steps toward greater excellence, just as “iron sharpens iron.” Give me the heart, mind, and spirit to know the leading you have for the arts camp. And give me courage to lead as you call me to lead. Help all of us to be BOLD like Peter was when you called him to get out of the boat. When we obey your call to be bold, help us to not focus on the winds or waves around us, but to be focused on your Voice. Grow our faith so that doubt never wins. May we be bold with your Love, Grace, Healing, and Hope as we interact with those around us for your Kingdom purposes. We ask these things in Jesus’s name, AMEN.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17 NIV)
It takes a grinding wheel to sharpen a blade, and so one person sharpens the character of another. (Proverbs 27:17 TPT)