“It’s a slippery slope, this thing of self-promotion.”

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, How Happiness Happens (p. 51). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

We all know that to be true, or do we?

Max says, “If your happiness depends on the applause and approval of others, you’ll yo-yo up and down, based on the fickle opinion of people. If noticed, you’ll strut. If unnoticed, you’ll grumble.

“Our generation’s fascination with social media has taken addiction to adulation to a whole new level. We measure success in ‘likes,’ ‘retweets,’ ‘thumbs-up,’ and ‘friends.’ Self-images rise and fall upon the whim of clicks and Facebook entries. Social media is social comparison on steroids! Does it make sense to hinge your joy on the unpredictable reactions and reviews of people you may not even know?”

Max gives a personal example, “A Christian conference was being held in our city. One of the keynote speakers canceled at the eleventh hour. I received a call from the organizers. Could I fill the slot?

“May I confess my first thought? Me fill in for someone else? Me, your second choice? Your backup plan? Your plan B? I declined the offer. My reaction was self-centered and nauseating.”

Max goes on, “Mark it down. When ministry becomes vain ambition, nothing good happens... Max gets puffy. And Jesus does not get served. No wonder Paul was so insistent: ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition’ (Phil. 2:3 NIV).

“I am not God’s MVP.

“You are not God’s VIP.

“We are not God’s gift to humanity. He loves us and indwells us and has great plans for us. God can use each of us, but he doesn’t need any of us. We are valuable but not indispensable.”

“Can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it? Is the saw greater than the person who saws? Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it? Can a wooden cane walk by itself?” (Isa. 10:15 NLT)

Max says, “We are the ax, the saw, the rod, and the cane. We do nothing apart from the hand of God.

“Nothing. ‘So the one who plants is not important, and the one who waters is not important. Only God, who makes things grow, is important’ (1 Cor. 3:7 NCV, emphasis mine).”

Later Max says, “Blessed is the Christian whose focus is on others.

“Miserable is the Christian whose focus is on self.”

He then says, “If your desire to be noticed is making you miserable, you can bet it is doing the same for others… Get back to basics. If you have a song to play on the piano, for heaven’s sake play it. But play it to please him. You’ll be amazed how peaceful the evening will be.”

A difficult thing to hear but a blessed thing it will be to do, won’t it? 

Yes, yes!