Does a title give me respect?

Luke 20:  ⁴⁵ While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, ⁴⁶ “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. ⁴⁷ They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

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After a number of leadership classes and meeting the right people, I was finally “heard” as this was a burning desire of mine for years. I was respected by everyone or at least I thought. When the time came to cut people from the workforce, I had my blade ready and sharpened with my list.

“They’ll be fine and if they aren’t then maybe they shouldn’t have been working in the first place” I justified to myself never once thinking of the widows.

• Human titles mean nothing to GOD.
• Human titles do not bring GODLY respect.
• Human titles can cause me to act arrogantly.

I once overheard someone ask “who is he” about me and the response was “he is the leader of the entire organization.” Wow, that sounded kind of nice and I would try to do anything to keep that power.  I would fire my mother if they told me to.

• GOD wants me to leverage human titles to be compassionate to many.
• GOD wants human titles to only be a part of me and not consume me.
• GOD wants me to be mindful of those in need. (That’s a period at the end of that sentence)

Unfortunately today, titles come with the responsibility of making the “hard calls.” The easier I can make the hard calls the higher the title and the better seat I can get at the banquet. GOD doesn’t mind me being at the banquet as long as I put HIM in the best seat.

• Would you do “anything” for that title?
• Would you rearrange your morals to achieve that role?
• Have you lost who you are trying to be something other people want you to be?
• Do you even need to be “that” title?
• Can you achieve that title GOD’s way instead of your way?