Have you been watching TV lately? I know... it's a mess. But if you answered yes, then you have no doubt noticed a sad trend--the world will take an average everyday person and "celebritize" them into an overnight success. In many cases, those who have been made instant celebrities have compromised and lived in complete contrast to a godly standard. The devil in all of his deception wants to preach a false gospel that doing good won't get you anywhere and that in order to become "someone", you have to compromise and go with the ungodly flow. It can appear a bit unfair, especially for those who are living righteous and holy lives. Here's what I have learned and am learning about God's nature--He is more concerned about how we finish than how quickly we get started. While the devil can accelerate things like a microwave on high, God is more like Crock Pot cooking low and slow.
Even in the body of Christ, it can seem like some teachers and preachers just came out of nowhere and became an overnight success. But for those who have done things God's way and waited on His timing, they can testify that the call to ministry, preparation for ministry, and separation to ministry is a process that cannot be rushed. At least it SHOULD not be rushed. It's a Crock Pot, low and slow. But waiting on God is like tender meat falling off the bones.
The average Crock Pot meal takes about 6-8 hours to cook, while the average microwave meal takes only about 6-8 minutes. I'll tell you one thing, my family gets excited when I pull out the Crock Pot. Those aromas fill the entire house and you can even smell what's cooking when you pull up in the driveway! They KNOW that something good is hitting the dinner table. Funny enough, I don't get the same response when I pop something in the microwave. Yes, it's quick and convenient, but it's a soon forgotten meal.
The false promise of overnight success is comparable to microwave cooking. Microwaves are incredibly convenient, especially if you don't have a lot of time. But anyone who survives on microwave meals alone is sure missing out. Jesus said man shall not live by bread alone and you sure can't cook bread in the microwave! If you've ever had a true home cooked meal, you KNOW that you can't get those kind of results from a microwave.
Low and slow is often the method God uses in order to prepare us for what He has for us. Even if you are not in ministry, developing the patience needed to wait on God can be the difference between tough, underdone meat versus empty plates lined up waiting for second servings. How we present God to the world means EVERYTHING, and if we are undercooked and tough, people won't be lining up for seconds.
I am more concerned about the quality of what God produces in my life than the quantity. Will it sustain the fire? Integrity of ministry comes through the process called low and slow. It can't be rushed. Like a diamond being formed under the surface of the earth, it has to be allowed to run its course in order to produce a stone of great value. As my husband ministered to me, God won't give you a basketball jersey, shorts and a ball and not put you in the game! If He has given us the tools to prepare us, then surely He has His loving eyes on us and knows when we are ready for the starting lineup. Let's trade in our microwave mentality for crock pots and go low and slow. It's the process God favors.
Scripture of the Day: "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." - 1 Corinthians 3:13
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