Nothing destroys human relationships, especially in ministry like A SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT.
A sense of entitlement puts pressure on you and triggers both insensitive and unreasonable expectations on the part of a minister.
Here, the minister expects and demands much from people as A MATTER OF RIGHT, and if that expectation is not fulfilled, it leads to internal strife and struggle.
Your REVELATION and ORIENTATION in ministry serve as a compass to navigate the terrain of ministry, and more importantly in the area of ministry relationships.
Sometimes we hear statements in ministry that I believe we should put in proper context.
For instance, statements like, “One good turn deserves another” is harmless but CONTEXT and MOTIVE matter here.
Don’t do anything for anyone with the MOTIVE of them doing same and reciprocating same on a higher level.
For the record, I believe in THE PRINCIPLE OF RECIPROCITY because in a way, it is MORALLY RIGHT but there has to be a balance of CONTEXT and MOTIVE.
Whatever help I render to anyone in ministry, I do as unto the Lord. Whatever gesture I extend to anyone, I do as unto the Lord.
If people reciprocate the gesture within the limits of their ability, that’s fine but NO UNDUE PRESSURE should be put on them.
My major responsibility as a believer/minister is to DO GOOD UNTO ALL MEN and to BE NOT WEARY IN WELL DOING – whether by deliberate action, reciprocity, exigencies of the moment, etc.
But one thing is very clear – I MUST LEARN TO DO GOOD UNTO ALL MEN, and many times it demands SACRIFICE on my part but not ULTERIOR MOTIVE or UNDUE PRESSURE.
To that extent therefore, THE PRINCIPLE OF RECIPROCITY holds sway but CONTEXT and MOTIVE are still very key.
Now don’t invite anyone to speak for you with the AIM or MOTIVE that they too must invite you to preach.
No, that’s not correct! That’s A SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT.
Invite people because you’re led to do it, you have studied their ministry and they have some value to add to your work.
Stop claiming rights over people. The correct approach is that whatever open door we have in ministry is A PRIVILEGE; not A RIGHT.
There have been times that you probably expected much from people but you never knew what they themselves were going through at that time.
I operate by this principle in ministry – NOBODY OWES ME ANYTHING; whatever people do for me is MY PRIVILEGE – I do not claim such RIGHT.
Even on social media platforms, NOBODY OWES ME a like, a comment, a share, or compliments.
I only seek to do what the Lord called me to do and I deeply appreciate those who extend such gestures.
Ministry relationships have been destroyed because of A SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT.
Issues like phone calls, compliments, financial assistance, pulpit exchange, recommendations, AND MUCH MORE have put strain on destiny relationships because they were mishandled.
Now what ministers owe each other is MUTUAL HONOUR and that doesn’t involve putting pressure on each other to do WHAT THEY DON’T HAVE CAPACITY FOR.
But it is right to check on people, seek after their welfare, care for them and DO GOOD UNTO ALL MEN.
And for those at the receiving end, they should not see it as a RIGHT, and when someone doesn’t act as expected at a time, don’t get offended, give them a benefit of doubt and look after them – you may not know what they’re going through.
You may not be privy to what they are experiencing at that moment.
When we do this, then fracas and frictions will reduce drastically in ministry while we move on to walk in love towards one another.
By and large, as ministers, we should walk by the principles of:
- LOVE
- MUTUAL HONOUR
- DOING GOOD UNTO ALL MEN
And we should never claim any RIGHT over anyone; it is a matter of PRIVILEGE.
Truth is relationships built on PRIVILEGE-CONSCIOUSNESS will last longer than relationships built on RIGHT-CONSCIOUSNESS.
May the Lord help us all.
Amen!
I hope this made little sense Sirs and Mas?
MUCH LOVE!!!
Source: Bimbo Animashaun Teaching Ministries |Published with permission.
Aphorism CITY 