Standing Shoulder To Shoulder Together As We Fight the Good Fight of Faith A personal letter of encouragement to You, written solely to "lift up hands that hang down". TO SUBSCRIBE send a blank message to shoulders-subscribe@... . TO UNSUBSCRIBE send a blank message to shoulders-unsubscribe@... . IN EACH CASE you will receive an automated request for confirmation which you must answer. FOR BACK COPIES go to www.associate.com/digests/shoulders . Click on "Start Reading" Get "HOPE4KYIV", a praise report and prayer request letter of the Tolliver's ministry as missionaries to Ukraine, TO SUBSCRIBE send a blank message to hope4kyiv-subscribe@.... FOR BACK COPIES go to www.associate.com/digests/hope4kyiv. +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #289 ---- 6/23/03 Title: "Famous Amos" My Dear Friend and Ministry Partner: I greet you once again from our "home away from home" in southwestern Missouri. We've had wonderful weather . . . . sunny, mid 80's with an occasional rain shower. The lilies in Jo Ann's flower beds are beginning to bloom and fill the air with their sweet fragrance. By now you probably know that my father's anticipated coronation took place much earlier than anticipated. He went home to be with the Lord last Sunday, June 15th, at 12:45 p.m. So many things have happened in relationship to his illness, decline, and death, all of which reveal to us God's hand in the entire matter. As you know, we struggled with the timing of our departure from Kiev to the States, but felt God's confirmation for the date we eventually chose. If we had come later, it would have been too late. Upon our arrival we had two wonderful weeks of fellowship where he was always coherent and in good spirits even though his strength was failing. We enjoyed the presence of two of our children and their families. Another daughter and her children were able to visit him just before our return. Our oldest daughter and family unfortunately arrived from the foreign mission field 18 hours after he had died. His decision to enter the nursing home was his objective choice, and when we finally offered him some alternative dates, he basically said, "the sooner the better". He felt he had a ministry there, and was ready to go even before we took him. He lived there only nine days, but his influence was already clear, and residents and workers alike were deeply saddened by his death. We visited together on Saturday morning, the 14th, and he remarked that he felt he didn't have much longer to live here. I reminded him that we were excited for him and that anytime he was ready, it was alright with us, and that we'd be fine. Whether it was the Lord or Dad who gave the "go ahead", God received him home . . . . on Fathers' Day, on a Sunday, and while we were here. A young woman named Luba from the nursing home staff was with him, tending to his needs. "Luba" is Russian for "Love". She is from St. Petersburg, Russia . . . . the city, incidentally, from where two of our adopted grandchildren (Roma and Anya) come. As you can imagine, many passages of scripture and lyrics to songs have taken on new meaning for us these past few days. One such song was in Dad's repertoire from which he had sung for so many years. It is entitled, "When I Come To The Edge of Eternity". I found an audio copy of the song while going through his things last week. Here's how it goes: "When I come to the edge of eternity, Near to the land of light, What a joy it will be when my Savior I see, As heaven unfolds to my sight. There'll be no shadows for Morning will come, Sunrise awaits there for me. There'll be no shadows when I leave for home, When Jesus, my Savior, I see. "When I come to the edge of eternity, Hope, like an anchor sure, Will steady my soul while the wild billows roll In Jesus I'm safe, I'm secure. "There'll be no shadows, for morning will come, Sunrise awaits there for me. There'll be no shadows when I leave for home, When Jesus, my Savior, I see." No song more clearly defines Dad's attitude and anticipation, and we, in turn, gain comfort from it as well. The thought of Dad finally seeing, face to face, the One about Whom he sang and preached for more than 70 years sends chills up and down my back. I can see them embrace, laugh, and talk like long-lost friends. Then I can see him as he seeks Mother out and rejoices with her over their mutual wholeness and perfection. He will do the same with his five siblings and his parents. Somewhere down the line he'll look Paul, Timothy, and all the others up just to thank them for all he gleaned from their writings through the 178 times he read through the Bible. So, though sad, it has been a good and glorious week. GREAT BUT NOT FAMOUS: Through this recent experience, I've had a recurring thought which I also had when my mother died nearly three years ago. Neither she nor Dad were famous, . . . . but they were great. As I listened this past Thursday and Friday to the remarks and testimonies people made about Dad during the memorial services, it became clear that not only was he a great man, but he was greater than any of us fully realized. His impact on many and his influence on others was far reaching. In America there is a man known as "Famous Amos". He's not a great actor, an athlete, a doctor, or a political leader. He's a baker. He is known across the nation for his cookies. Yes, his cookies! Amos is famous. He's famous for one thing . . . . not being a good family man, though he may be . . . . not for being a great Christian, though he may be . . . . not being a great speaker, though he may be. He is famous for one thing . . . . . cookies! So the question comes to my mind . . . . "Is Famous Amos actually famous? And, if he is famous, is he great?" All of this has made me consider . . . . 1. There is a major difference between being famous and being great. You and I know lots of people who are famous . . . . or infamous. Either way, they are well known. Einstein, Beethoven, Billy Graham, Saddam Hussein, Putin, J.C. Penney, . . . . all are famous people. But not all of them were great. So, it becomes obvious that there is a difference, in because of that, there may also be a preference of one over the other. 2. A famous person can also be great, but a great person may not always be famous. I don't personally know many famous people, but I do know lots of great ones. In fact, I'm trying to remember how many famous people I actually personally know, and I can't think of a single one at the moment. Give me some time . . . . maybe I'll think of one. But, it doesn't take but a few seconds for me to start naming off dozens of great people. Interestingly, most great people are probably not famous. Why? Because fame tends to diminish greatness while greatness nullifies the need to be famous. So, it becomes obvious that, while a famous person can also be great, it is also likely that a truly great person will probably not be overly famous. While greatness often produces fame, fame seldom produces greatness. 3. Greatness is to be preferred over fame, though many preachers don't know that. Which would you rather be? Famous, or great? A famous person impresses people; a great person influences people. Now, if a great person's greatness in the eyes of others is sustained, then he may become famous. But, generally speaking, the drive in a person's life should be that of striving toward greatness, and not toward fame. You and I both know preachers who have gotten the two mixed up. We've even heard some of them preach, and we've read some of their books. You can tell the difference. It doesn't take long. A great person shares from deep within his own soul what God has taught him through the crucibles of life. A great person is formed by the mundane and the longevity of struggles while a famous person may be famous simply by a single event or accomplishment. He can become famous even by accident. Rescuing a child from a well shaft can make a man famous, but it probably won't of itself make him great. A preacher can become famous by building a kingdom of sticks and stones and personal glitzy accomplishments, and still be as unimpressive and diminutive of character as the town drunk. How tragic that there are so many famous preachers who, because of their lack of spiritual and moral depth, never became known as great men. 4. Greatness comes from internal character qualities, while fame comes from external performance. I did a fairly extensive word search yesterday and found that, while not always the case, most of the time the use of the words "great" and "greatest" or "greatness" seemed to refer to the inner character and stature of a person while "famous" and "fame" seemed to connect to some type of event or performance. Perhaps that's one reason why there are many great people around who are known by only a few while, on the other hand, some famous people who are known by thousands are never really great people; their moral fiber is just not strong enough to carry them through their day in the spotlight, and they end up being an embarrassment to their profession and a disgrace to their families. 5. There's nothing wrong with being famous, . . . if it comes from greatness. When doing the word search, I found the words "fame" and "famous" appeared more than 20 times, most of them in a very positive way. Whether it was Ruth's relatives or the apostles' preaching the Gospel, they all became famous. But, when you examine the story behind the ultimate fame, you find that almost without exception that fame was birthed out of a person who was already great in the sense of integrity, honesty, love for God, passion for the needy, and so forth. So, if you are one of those famous dudes, I hope it's because you're a great person in your heart. 6. Greatness is like a never-ending fragrance while fame is like a wilting flower that lasts only for a season. Because fame rises primarily from performance and events, it fades quickly. Just ask Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, or the guy who rescued the lady from the bomb in the Atlanta Olympics, or the guy who helped rescue the nine Pennsylvania miners. Swaggart is now infamous, Bakker is now a simple man who learned from the mistakes and is becoming a great pastor in a small ministry. The Atlanta guy is still hounded by the press, his life a shambles. The guy who helped rescue the miners is dead of suicide three or four weeks ago. Fame, my friend, doesn't last long. You're wasting your time, even as a minister of the Gospel, if you're trying to become famous, well liked, and respected by your peers. You're blowing smoke in the air. Strive, instead, for spiritual and moral greatness . . . . . quietly, un-noticeably, yet diligently. 7. Greatness produces honor and respect, while fame produces covetousness and idolatry. A great person seldom seems to battle covetousness, jealousy, or the worship of his own hands. Yet, he is beladen with the respect, appreciation, and honor of others. Whether it's a quiet unasuming father who worked in the steel mills but faithfully took care of his family and loved his wife wholly, or someone who writes a life-changing book, that person is seen for his greatness. Why did Mother Theresa survive all the accolades of fame? Because she was great. Why did Jimmy Swaggart not survive? Because he wasn't. Now, friend, I don't say that to ridicule Jimmy Swaggart. I have prayed for him as you have. And I have no personal vendetta against him. Frankly, I'd love to have the opportunity to visit with him, ask him what he's learned, how his life has been changed, and how I can pray for him and serve him. But, at the time of those events, he did not demonstrate greatness, because he wasn't great. He may be today, but not then. And, unfortunately, that's what people still remember. 8. Greatness is reserved for the humble, while fame is often doled out to the proud and arrogant. When you look at the great men and women of the past, you'll notice one common factor among most of them . . . . humility. Usually they are unassuming, quiet, and prefer doing what they do behind the scenes far away from the fanfare and the spotlights. On the other hand, many who are famous but not great suffer from pride and arrogance and are self seeking and self serving. This is certainly scriptural. I Peter 5:5-6 says, "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time." James 4:10 echoes that exhortation; "Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you." It is ultimately God's business as to when one becomes famous, but the one who is humble is already on the road to greatness, even if he's great to just a handful of people. 9. Greatness cannot be self-produced, but fame can be manipulated and created by the ingenuity of human creativity and artistic skill. That's another good reason we are to put no confidence in the flesh. You can create the image of fame, but you cannot counterfeit greatness. It's too obvious; everyone who understands greatness can spot the real thing immediately. And, it is not something that you go out with a plan to produce. It's just something that happens as a result of humility, discipline, character, and the like. 10. Apparently in God's eyes, there is no differentiation between the greatest and the least. He sees us all in the light of the Cross where there is no contrast or comparison. Hebrews 8:11 reads, "And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' For all shall know Me, From the least to the greatest of them." In other words, our capacity to have an intimate relationship with God comes by faith and not by greatness or the lack thereof. When you think about it, my friend, this fact really takes a load off our shoulders. Whether or not we're great doesn't influence God's love for us and His acceptance of us. In His eyes, you and I are just the same. So, evidently greatness is not for our benefit, but rather for others. It becomes a motivation to others to be like us (what a scary thought!). Others are driven to deeper dedication, greater sacrifice, and stronger loyalties to things that are of eternal worth instead of temporal things that rust, wither, dry up, and blow away. Either way, though, great or not, God loves us . . . . He likes us . . . . He values us. How neat! PATHWAY TO GREATNESS: If, as I've said above, greatness cannot be manufactured, then how does one become great? Well, to be quite honest, that's the wrong question. We have no business trying to become great. Greatness is not a goal, it is the consequence of a particular type of life. Maybe the better question is, "What Leads To Greatness?" Curiosity about greatness seems to be a common thing. Even Jesus' disciples wondered about it, particularly as it pertained to the kingdom He was going to set up. They even argued amongst themselves (Luke 9:46), apparently more than once (Mark 9:34 and Luke 22:24). Some even had the courage to ask him: "At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?'" (MAT 18:1). I suppose to many people, it never enters their minds that they could actually be great, or that they should even think about it. However, I believe every person should have an internal drive toward greatness . . . . because great people influence others for the good. That's why every pastor should always strive to be a great pastor, and should never settle for the alternative, which is simple mediocrity. I know, I know . . . . it sounds like I'm contradicting my earlier statement. But, even though we must never desire greatness, and we cannot produce greatness in and of ourselves, our heart's desire should be that we somehow arrive at greatness in our lives, for the sake of those we know and love, that we should be a blessing and an example to them. As I consider my own life at age 65, I realize several things. First, I have not always laid the groundwork for greatness. Second, I will never be famous, and really don't care to be. Third, I want to be great, but only in the eyes of my wife, children, and grandchildren; I really don't care whether or not others ever think I am. Fourth, I'd rather simply be an encourager and an influence. Finally, God already thinks I am; He likes me. However, I am still intrigued by what makes a person great. The following is certainly not an exhaustive list, but I think maybe these factors contribute to greatness. 1. Honorable character. While a person can be famous with a less than honorable character, I don't think he can be great. Reputation is what others think of us and will, at least to some degree, make us either famous or infamous. Character, on the other hand, is what we really are. I believe the foundational requirement for greatness is to be a person of honorable character. 2. Steady Consistency. Likewise, it seems to me that consistency over the long haul is what makes for greatness. As I look at Dad's life, I have watched him for 65 years. One thing has been clear . . . . I've never once seen any hint of inconsistency. His convictions remained firm, his compassion remained undiminished, his zeal for the lost remained hot to the very end, his patience lasted a lifetime, and his love for the Word of God never waned. It didn't matter how he felt or what time of the day it was, he was the same. To be sure there were times of frustration, but I cannot remember a single day when I felt Dad was tempted to compromise, let down his guard, or offer his allegiance up for 30 pieces of silver. I'm going to miss watching him. All I can do now is keep looking back . . . . and remembering . . . . and reminding myself of who I am. 3. Servant spirit. This is a no brainer. Jesus was clear. Matt 23:11 says, "But the greatest among you shall be your servant." Again in Luke 22:26 Jesus said, "But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become . . . as the servant." 4. Humility. Again, Jesus said, "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matt 18:4. 5. Simple, uncomplicated, child-like. Luke 22:26 again tells us, "But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, . . ." FINALLY ---- HOW TO BECOME GREAT: 1. Don't try. Don't even think about it. The Bible is clear that God is the One Who determines who will be great or exalted in the eyes of others. Psalm 75:6-7 reads, "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." If you try to be great, you'll never be. A natural and unassuming attitude is necessary. So, as I understand it, while greatness is to be our desire, it is not something we can create. It is something that God does, often in the eyes of only a few, as He chooses to use us in setting an example for others to follow. 2. Walk humbly and obediently before God. That should be the focus of your life. The one thing that should drive you is that you walk in humility . . . . submitted completely under God's hand. Obedience should be a by-word . . . . an instant response to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Stop trying to please men, and set your stride toward absolute obedience in every way. Though I quoted some of these earlier, let me review God's instruction about humility: James 4:6 ". . . God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." James 4:10 "Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you." I Peter 3:8 "To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;" I Peter 5:5 ". . . . and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." I Peter 5:6 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time," I am personally convinced that a major key to developing greatness before others is humility and obedience to God. If either is missing, you may be famous, but you'll never be great. 3. Purpose to be an example before your family, at all cost. I remember hearing Dr. Peter Lord say that his heart's desire was that when he came to the end of his life, the one thing he wanted more than anything else on this earth was for his family to be able to honestly say that he lived a life that exemplified intimacy with God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. That should be our desire as well, my friend. If my family doesn't think I'm a great man, everybody else will know that, and nobody else will think I'm great. 4. Serve other people unselfishly and without expectation. All these other things deal with your walk with God. This deals with your walk before men. While they will observe the first three, they will test their legitimacy by the way you respond to the needs and burdens of others. They will know in an instant if you're serving them for your own benefit or for theirs. It cannot be a "both" issue; it must be only for them. A servant basically does whatever he needs to do at his own expense to lighten the load of another without any expectation of anything in return. 5. Stop trying to be famous . . . . and great, too. It's not produced by effort, but by character. If you want to be a great husband, a great wife, a great parent, a great preacher, devote your life to building inner character, walking in humble obedience, and be content with the moment. Well . . . . I guess that's all I know at the moment about being famous or being a great person. You and I each have the choice to be either a "famous Amos" or a "steady Eddie". I hope you understand the way in which I have been using the idea of greatness. My Dad was a great man, but he didn't know it. He didn't try to be great. He didn't try to impress anybody. He never compromised who he was and what he believed. He was just himself. And in the process, drew scores and scores of young Timothy's into ministry, influenced thousands to come to Christ and motivated hundreds to become people of God's Word. And he did it all without compromise or slackness. That's what I call a great man. Have a great week, dear friend. And, as you think of us, please pray for us as we finish up affairs here and prepare to return to Kiev next week. In His Bond and For His Kingdom, Bob Tolliver -- Psalm 2:8 Copyright June, 2003 Life Unlimited Ministries lifeunlimited@... Please do NOT hit reply to this letter. 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