Sorry its late!
Wow! Talk about a smack in the face! In “Mining for Gold,” Comacho had me from the beginning; what can I say, it’s one of those “God” books I enjoy reading. To draw me deeper, the author used King David as a reference point; one man that has always inspired and motivated me as a minister and Christian. However, that was not the “Wow” moment. It was after Comacho told this enthralling recap of how David was selected to be king and then wrote, “God is looking for Samuels, leaders who will see the gold in people by the Spirit and draw out those riches for his purpose[1].” I was shocked; for most of my life, it was DAVID that inspired the man I strove to be…not Samuel. Perhaps there is too much of a desire instilled in all of us to have that spotlight shining upon us; that secret need for attention. Is that truly who God has called us to be though…I mean we…the minister? On one hand we see the “Armor of God” instruction, which surely makes us desire to be warriors in this fight against Satan[2]. However, this made me wonder, am I the warrior or the drill sergeant?
As I read through the early parts of this book, I was constantly thinking about something one of my elders asked me last week; “Shawn, you preach like you actually hope people are going to change. Do you ever actually see that happen?” I’m still pondering whether the saddest part of this question is that my elder seems to have lost hope, or the fact that it really does seem harder and harder to convince someone that God is worth the sacrifice. To answer the question though; I have seen some incredible life transformations through my years as a minister. I have been fascinated and enthralled by the ways the Spirit has infused Himself into the lives of different individuals and allowed me to see them grow. I have thought about the role that Christ played in His time with us, and recognize that not only did He come to die, but also that He came to train others to take up the cross when He left. Is that not also our own challenge in the faith? God did not give us the impossible mission (cue the appropriate movie soundtrack); He gave us a mission of purpose. Romans 12:2 reads,
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
The Word is a changing power, and we are the vessels God uses to help others find that transformation within themselves.
Now, I am still holding to the statement mentioned first; “God is looking for Samuels.” I was raised being told the tales of David, King of Israel; defeater of Goliath; and the man after God’s own heart; I mean come on…who doesn’t want to be a David? As I mentioned in my last post, I have envisioned numerous times what it must have felt and looked like to walk down into that canyon and face off against that giant; how enthralling. Not once…and I mean not one single time, did I imagine myself as being SAMUEL. I suppose I wanted to hear God speaking to me at night, but that is as close I have gotten. This is where my thoughts took me though: When I went into the army (many moons ago), I was being trained to be a Calvary Scout by…you ready for this…Calvary Scout drill sergeants. I did not get trained by cooks, clerks, or even infantry sergeants; just Calvary Scout drill sergeants. The point being, in order to become a great Samuel, you have to first learn to become a great David. We are all tested, challenged, and then thrown into the fight. Should we prove ourselves victorious in battle, we are then entrusted with the right to train others to do what we do. Becoming a Samuel does not mean I have to give up on being a David…perhaps it just means that God is saying we have already become enough like David to be trusted with more responsibility. I was talking to my nephew, Nathan, about this, and told him, “God never seems impressed with David’s sword…it was his heart that pleased Him.”
It is one thing to train someone to hold a weapon; it is another to train them to not run away when the enemy is pressing on. Not to step on Mike’s theme, but in Ephesians 6:10-16, there is a reference to making that “stand” against spiritual hosts. The reality is that this fight we are in has many casualties and many who will flee from the battle in front of them. It takes a great leader to give the troops to make their stand, regardless of the foe before them. So, I have fought my whole life to be a David; I will not say that I have come anywhere close to the man that he was, but God knows I have tried. But today, I want to now set my sights on being a Samuel…I want to help show others their potential. My nephew was very kind after our conversation; he said, “Uncle Shawn, I think you are more like a Samuel than a David today.” I’ll take a compliment like that any day.
Bibliography
Comacho, Tom. Mining for Gold: Developing Kingdom Leaders through Coaching. London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2019 Kindle Edition.
[1] Comacho, Tom. Mining for Gold: Developing Kingdom Leaders through Coaching. London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2019 Kindle Edition.
[2] Ibid.
About the Author
Shawn Hart
6 responses to “Sorry its late!”
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Great post Shawn
You’re right. Very rarely are encouraged to be like Samuel. What’s interesting also is that I don’t think there is a single negative thing said about Samuel, while David in the other hand obviously had his shortfalls.
One of the best sermons I ever heard was a sermon comparing Samuel to Samson. ?
Happy last post!
Shawn
It seems the farther I get into my ministry the more I would like to be like Samuel. What a great compliment from your nephew. Thanks for the LOTR video!
Jason
Shawn!
Or should I say “Papa”! Glad the lungs are doing better.
Transformation, keep looking and praying for it. The day any one of us loses faith that it can happen, we are doomed. God is the great change agent. He is in the transformation business!
We all understand why you post was a little late. Actually, I thought new Grandpa’s should get a free pass. You got it done in pronto fashion…
Shawn,
Look, this is your last post! Wow and congrats my good friend and brother. Thanks for the Armor of God plug!
I think you must be both Drill Sergeant, Warrior, Medic, Chaplain, and Prisoner sometimes in order to be used by God for our good and His glory.
Shawn, take courage. You are one of the few Pastors that is like one of Zemke’s “tempered radicals” who despite your desensitized elder(s) and others always seem to flourish and propel the Gospel of Christ. Never give in or give up. What you say and do, more of what you do, will stay with people as they make their choices with God. For example, I had a retired 911 dispatcher who goes to church with me and JoAnne tell me a story today about how I encouraged her and the dispatch team repeatedly from the abuse they used to receive over 30 years ago. I encourage her with dark humor appropriate for the time, “k— them with kindness” and that was not a kiss like Judas gave to Jesus. I think I would change that to “treat them with kindness” these days, but back then, with all the problems with sexism and profanity in the workplace it seemed to fit the crime, so to speak. I say all that to say this, what you do and say matters and is remembered for a very long time as the Gospel seeds planted in the lives of others.
Stand firm,
Mike
Shawn. I too really enjoyed this book…even though I joked about the “coaching” word. The relatable stories drew me in and I found myself wondering what the solution would be. What I like about Samuel was the journey he took with those around him and God. I am a firm believer that some of the greatest witnesses come from a life long obedience with God and the stories of the peaks and valleys. Thanks for the reminder this week.
Shawn, it’s been a joy to be on this DMin journey with you. Congratulations on becoming a grandpa. What a full-circle journey. Your heart for obedience and discipleship shine through in every post. Great finish! 🙂