I just spent the weekend seeing and hearing Francis Chan on three separate days in succession. It left me with a LOT to think about. I could sit here and quote him all day long… I mean, he’s one of my favorite authors, and it was even while reading the introduction to his book “Forgotten God” that the final confirmation for the name “LoveManifest” was given.

Almost everything he said was, to use a Facebookism, “status worthy”. But he talked about something in particular that I have been carrying with me, praying about, and really expecting God will drill home into my heart, and actions. Because it had to do with Jesus… and every desire in my being is to be like Him.

Jesus was bold. Jesus was courageous. Yet, everything about Jesus was humble.

Even His act of turning over the tables of the money changers (Matthew 21:12-13) was a humble act. It was out of His love for God and God’s people.

Francis half jokingly stated that today, “any yahoo with a book, or a YouTube video is instantly qualified to be a speaker” (I probably shouldn’t put quotes there, as I did insert the word “yahoo”, but it was along the same lines).

But here’s the kicker.

See, when Jesus spoke, he didn’t speak with motives of getting a reaction (or not getting a reaction). He didn’t speak to see how many “likes” he would get from his message, or not speak to see who might react by lack of words, either.

He spoke only what the Father told Him to speak, and He spoke only when the Father told Him to speak. No more. No less.

That, my friends, knocks my socks off. It realigns everything for me. It’s the difference between courageously speaking His Word with humility, and selfishly speaking His Word with arrogance. One breathes life, and one turns others away, and leaves nothing more than bitterness behind.

Once again, I am on my face, in awe of a Father who really shouldn’t want anything to do with me, but does.

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

– James 1:26-27