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Roosters from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

I grew up on a farm in the country, and we raised chickens. I had a gorgeous dark red pet rooster I raised from a hatchling. They are peculiar creatures. The roosters were attention seekers and would strut around with their chests out, hop onto the highest point they could reach, and crow as loud and long as they could. They chased all the hens around the barnyard, whether they were interested in them or not. And if you ever put two in a fence, there would inevitably be a showdown to determine who was the greatest. 

The body of Christ has become so fragmented because we have too many roosters. The Apostle Paul wrote this warning to Timothy about choosing church leaders. Now, keep in mind that Timothy was a young man whom Paul called his son, but he had traveled with Paul extensively and was not a recent convert. So, it has little to do with our age but more with spiritual maturity. 

(1 Timothy 3:6 ESV)  He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Ah, truer words have not been spoken. I vividly remember being a puffed-up young man during my years in Bible college. We thought we were so smart... It is just as Paul said:

(1 Corinthians 8:1–2 NKJV)  ... Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.

Oh, but the Lord is the great deflator of ego, and He will let the air out of your balloon. He had to age me before He allowed me to enter the ministry as He did with others. Moses began as a fiery young man in Egypt but then spent forty years tending sheep in the wilderness before God called from that burning bush. By then, Moses was a changed man.

(Numbers 12:3 NKJV)  (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

By the time the Lord pushed me into ministry, I felt completely empty. At twenty, I had felt so smart and confident, but by forty-five, I felt I knew nothing anymore. I realized that the more I knew, the more I understood how little I actually knew. But as an empty vessel, I had finally become usable. For when you have nothing but Him, you will find He is enough. It's in the moments when we're left with nothing but our faith that we truly understand: His presence is all we need." You don't have to be smart; you only have to be obedient.

(2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV)  ..."My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."...

I love the honesty of the word of God, and how it tells it like it is. Look at the Apostles, the men whom Jesus trained for ministry:

(Luke 9:46–48 ESV)  An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great."

You would have thought the Apostles would have become seasoned walking with Jesus, but years later, on their last night together, we see the rooster in them appear:

(Luke 22:24–27 ESV)  A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

Oh, we tend to love the talk but can't do the walk. Our pride blinds us and makes us think we are much stronger than we really are, for when you think you are strong, you are at your weakest. We boast about all we will do for the Lord, but oh, He will deflate you.

(Luke 22:33–34 ESV)  Peter said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death." Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me."

There are great promises in store for those humble in heart, and they happen automatically. 

(James 4:10 NKJV)  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

It tells us that He will do it. In other words, you won't have to seek a promotion, for it will find you when the time comes.

(1 Peter 5:5–6 NKJV)  ... be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time ...

David wrote most the Psalms, but there is no mention of him killing the giant Goliath. Today, there would have been a book and mini-series on that. Instead, David wrote about how wonderful the Lord is who allowed him to do things like that. David understood that it wasn't himself that made him successful, but the Lord who was with him. 

(Psalm 18:29 NKJV)  For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall.

C.S. Lewis wisely said that humility isn't thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. That aligns perfectly with the teachings of Jesus, who said the greatest among you will be the servant. 

So, who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God? The servant. Not the rooster...

You can pray this with me if you like: 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me see others through Your eyes. I want to live a life pleasing in Your sight and be a part of what You are doing on Earth today. Thank you so much for another day, another chance to make You smile. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!