Our world often equates visibility with success. As a result, many Christian workers struggle with the tension of promoting their work while remaining focused on glorifying God.
In the effort to avoid being perceived as self-centered, one might unintentionally limit their ability to be useful and a blessing to others. On the other hand, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of seeking the spotlight, allowing a narcissistic mindset to take root—a tendency that our culture often encourages."
Humility is a virtue, but how do you promote God and His work through you without drawing attention to yourself in a prideful way? This challenge becomes even more pronounced when we consider the words of John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
How can we effectively steward the opportunities God has given us without drawing undue attention to ourselves? Here are some biblical principles and practical suggestions to guide us.
1. Make God’s Work the Central Focus
When sharing about the work God has entrusted to us, we must ensure He remains the focus. As the Psalmist declared, “Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake” (Psalm 115:1). Sharing testimonies of God’s provision, power, and grace shifts the spotlight away from us and directs it where it belongs—on Him. We must learn to speak in the way the Psalmist did.
Practical Tip: When you communicate about your work, frame your updates in terms of what God is doing. Instead of saying, “I built this ministry,” say, “By God’s grace, this ministry has been a tool in His hands.”
2. Let Others Speak of Your Work
Scripture encourages us to avoid self-praise. “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips” (Proverbs 27:2). Inviting those impacted by your ministry to share their stories not only magnifies God’s work but also adds credibility to your message.
Practical Tip: Ask others to share testimonials about how they’ve been blessed through your ministry. Their voices can convey the impact of your work in a way that honors God and feels authentic. Make sure they avoid directly magnifying you and concentrate their expressions on what God did for them and how God used the ministry to facilitate that work in their lives.
3. Anchor Your Messaging in Scripture
When promoting your work, grounding your communication in Scripture ensures Christ remains at the center. The work is not your ideas, your plans, your program...It is God's! The Word of God reminds us that everything we do should be viewed as a part of His plan. As Paul wrote, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Romans 11:36).
Practical Tip: Use Scripture as the foundation for your updates or presentations. Choose verses that reflect the heart of your ministry’s mission.
4. Pray for Wisdom and Discernment
Navigating this balance requires constant reliance on God. James reminds us, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). Prayer aligns our hearts with God’s will, helping us discern when and how to share about our work.
Practical Tip: Before making decisions about promoting your ministry, pray for clarity and a heart that seeks to honor God above all.
5. Focus on Faithfulness, Not Visibility
Success, in God’s eyes, is measured by faithfulness, not by how many people notice our work. As Paul reminds us, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). Our responsibility is to steward the opportunities God gives us, trusting Him to bring the increase.
Practical Tip: Measure success not by likes, shares, or recognition but by obedience to God’s calling and the fruit He produces.
6. Practice Humility in Your Role
Acknowledging the role God has given us is not prideful—it is a recognition of His sovereignty. Yet, we must guard against the temptation to draw attention to ourselves. Jesus set the example when He said, “I can of mine own self do nothing” (John 5:30). Humility recognizes that any success we experience is entirely by God’s grace.
Practical Tip: When speaking about your work, acknowledge your dependence on God and His provision at every step.
Navigating the tension between promoting your work and glorifying God is a delicate balance, but it is one that can be achieved by staying rooted in Scripture and dependent on Him. As we share what God has done through our lives and ministries, may we echo the heart of John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Let us always focus on faithfulness, pointing others to the greatness of our God, and trust Him to use our work for His glory. In doing so, we fulfill the purpose for which He has called us, while ensuring that He alone receives the honor He so rightly deserves.
Now then, let me conclude these thoughts by giving you two illustrations: One negative and one positive. I will give the negative illustration first and provide ideas about how this person could have better expressed himself. The second illustration is how Jesus navigated his great work and kept the focus on the Father!
Negative Illustration:
I heard a well-known Southern Evangelist say, "I have lived in the center of God’s will my whole ministry life." This phrasing can come across as self-focused, implying perfection and drawing attention to the speaker rather than glorifying God. A better approach would acknowledge God's grace, the speaker's dependence on Him, and the humility of striving to follow God's leading while recognizing human imperfection. Let's explore how this attitude can be countered and also how one could better express themselves:
The Bible reminds us that even the most faithful servants of God are flawed and dependent on His grace. Paul, one of the greatest apostles, wrote: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12). Acknowledging human imperfection is not weakness. It is honest...and wise!
The focus should always be on God’s work and faithfulness, not personal achievements. All glory should deliberately and purposefully be directed to God alone. Jeremiah reminds us: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
We must be careful to remain dependent upon grace! The apostle Paul frequently attributed his success to God’s grace, saying: “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).
Absolute statements like “I have always” or “I never” are risky and can sound prideful. James reminds us of the fleeting nature of life and our dependence on God’s will:“For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4:15).
Here are some ways this individual could have expressed himself better:
"By God’s grace, I have sought to follow His will throughout my life, though I know I have stumbled and fallen short at times. His faithfulness, not mine, has been the anchor of my ministry."
"The Lord has been faithful to guide me, and I have sought to trust Him. Any good in my life or ministry is a testimony to His grace and mercy."
"It has been my desire to follow God’s will, but I know I’ve needed His grace every step of the way. Any faithfulness in my ministry reflects His work in me, not my own strength."
"My heart has been to stay in the center of God’s will, though I know I haven’t done so perfectly. I am thankful for His patient guidance and for using even my mistakes to accomplish His purposes."
The key to avoiding such a statement as "I have lived in the center of God’s will my whole ministry life" is to shift the focus from self to God. Acknowledging human imperfection, emphasizing God’s grace, and redirecting glory to Him reflects true humility and a heart that seeks to honor Christ. By framing life and ministry in these terms, we communicate that God, not our own faithfulness, is the source of all good.
And now the positive example:
Jesus provides the perfect example of how to glorify God while accomplishing great works without exalting oneself. His humility and consistent pointing to the Father offer a model for how we can steward the opportunities God gives us. Here are some ways Jesus exemplified this balance:
Jesus Always Pointed to the Father as the Source of His Authority!
Jesus never claimed glory for Himself but consistently emphasized that His authority came from the Father. He said, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30). This teaches us to acknowledge that any success or ability we have is from God. When we direct praise toward Him, we follow Jesus’ example.
Jesus Always Gave Glory to the Father
Throughout His ministry, Jesus directed attention to the Father. He prayed, “Father, glorify thy name” (John 12:28), showing His desire that the Father’s name—not His own—be exalted. When sharing our work, we can glorify God by highlighting His provision, His power, and His purposes being fulfilled through us.
Jesus Always Served Others in Humility
Despite His greatness, Jesus took on the role of a servant. At the Last Supper, He washed the disciples’ feet, saying, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). His humility demonstrated that true greatness lies in serving others.
We can reflect this humility by focusing on how our work serves others and fulfills God’s purposes rather than seeking personal recognition.
Jesus Was Always Content with God’s Timing
Jesus never rushed to prove Himself or sought premature recognition. When His brothers urged Him to show Himself openly, He responded, “My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready” (John 7:6).
This reminds us to trust God’s timing and not seek visibility or validation for our work outside His will.
Jesus Always Used Miracles to Glorify the Father
When Jesus performed miracles, He often linked them to glorifying God. Before raising Lazarus, He prayed, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 11:41-42).
In our efforts, we should aim to show the world God’s power and love, ensuring that He gets the glory for the results.
Jesus Always Emphasized Obedience to the Father
Jesus’ ultimate focus was obedience to the Father’s will. He said, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38).
When we make God’s will our priority, we align our efforts with His purpose and avoid the pitfalls of self-promotion.
Jesus Always Prayed for God’s Glory, Not His Own
Before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed, “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee” (John 17:1). Even when facing the cross, His prayer was that His actions would bring glory to God.
In the same way, our prayer should be that everything we do points back to God’s greatness, not ours.
A Key Illustration from the Life of Jesus
The principles Jesus taught in Matthew 6 about giving in secret and not seeking public recognition for good works fit perfectly into this discussion. They highlight the importance of humility, focusing on pleasing God rather than seeking approval or praise from others.
Jesus instructed, “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). He further added, “But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:3-4).
This teaching directly counters the behavior of the Pharisees, who “sounded a trumpet” (Matthew 6:2) to draw attention to their actions. Jesus emphasized that true righteousness is done for God’s glory, not for human applause.
Just as Jesus warned against trumpeting acts of charity, we must be cautious in how we share our ministry work. While it’s essential to inform others about what God is doing, the focus should remain on Him, not us. For example, when sharing testimonies, the emphasis can be on how God worked through circumstances, people, and prayer to accomplish His purposes.
A key reflection might be: "Are we sharing this to glorify God and encourage others, or are we subtly seeking to promote ourselves?"
The Pharisees exemplify what not to do. Jesus described them as those who “love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues” (Matthew 23:6) and who “do all their works for to be seen of men” (Matthew 23:5).
In contrast, Jesus taught His disciples: “Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:12).
By avoiding self-promotion and trusting God to exalt us in His timing, we align ourselves with Jesus’ teaching and example.
Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6 includes a beautiful promise: “Thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:4). When we seek God’s glory over our own, we can trust that He sees our efforts, even when no one else does.
Rather than seeking recognition, we should focus on faithful stewardship, knowing that God’s reward is far greater than human applause.
Jesus accomplished the greatest mission in history without ever seeking personal glory. He consistently pointed to the Father, served others in humility, and trusted God’s timing and will. His example reminds us that we can do great things for God without vaunting ourselves.
By following His model, we can glorify God through our work, keeping the focus where it belongs—on Him. As we labor in the opportunities God gives us, let us pray for the spirit of Christ, who said, “He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him” (John 7:18).
When discussing ministry work, consider these practical steps to ensure humility:
Pray Before Sharing: Ask God to purify your motives and help you share in a way that glorifies Him.
Focus on God’s Work: Use phrases like, “God provided,” or “The Lord worked through this situation,” to keep the focus on Him.
Limit Personal Details: Avoid excessive personal anecdotes that could overshadow the main message of God’s glory.
Invite Collaboration: Frame your updates as opportunities for others to partner in God’s work, emphasizing collective faithfulness rather than individual achievement.
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