Chip Ingram has a book out called Good to Great in God’s Eyes. I am using as a staff book for my church. While the first chapter is a bit more simplistic than I had hoped, there are some great thoughts.
One of the key areas to greatness in the Kingdom of God is to think great thoughts. One idea Ingram brings is to meditate on spiritual insights. When the Lord reveals something to you, take into account the impact of that thought. Mull it over. Don’t let it slide by, but meditate on what the Lord is teaching.
The application he gave was had an impact on me. It sounded like me. He wrote about his own insecurities in the past. It intimidated him to where he kept thinking about how he could get on someone’s “good side,” or impress a church official, etc. He then came to the realization that all people have some degree of insecurity. Just be authentic.
He wrote that if you get into the game of “comparing spiritual gifts” there are only two places to go: Inferiority or superiority. Either we judge someone for having a “lesser” gift and become arrogant, or we think our particular gift doesn’t match up, so we feel inferior. It’s a lose/lose deal.
My life needs to be lived authentically. I need to hear the voice of the Spirit and obey that voice. Period.
Apprentice 2 Jesus 