What Does It Matter?

February 4, 2020

It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. Philippians 1:15-18 NLT

A few months ago, a shocking and very disappointing public conversation took place at a conference that portrayed Christian ministries in a very bad light to a watching world. A number of well-known male pastors began to make light of a prominent woman’s ministry. Because she was female, they made derogatory jokes at her expense. They said she was probably fit to “hawk jewelry on the Shopping Network” but was definitely incapable of delivering the Word of God. One man called her by name and said, “Go home! Stay in the kitchen, lady!” to the nervous laughter of the crowd.

Videos went viral among the Christian community. The woman’s response was exemplary. She didn’t rise to the bait. Beth Moore simply posted on her well-followed twitter feed, “I did not surrender to a calling of man when I was 18 years old. I surrendered to a calling of God. It never occurs to me for a second to not fulfill it. I will follow Jesus – and Jesus alone – all the way home. Here’s the beautiful thing about it, and I mean this with absolute respect. You don’t have to let me serve you. That gets to be your choice. Whether or not I serve Jesus is not up to you. Whether I serve you certainly is. One way or the other, I esteem you as my sibling in Christ.”

Beth’s response was like Paul’s: “Yes, I know. Yes, I hear what they say, and I am not blind to what they are doing. But what does it matter? The thing that really matters is that the good news is being shared. I’m not going to let injustice toward me get me off track. I’m not going to let anything but the message of Jesus command my attention.”

That’s the attitude of a true Christian leader. We will be misunderstood, unjustly criticized, and perhaps even lied about sometimes. But really, what does it matter? We must keep our focus on spreading the good news of Jesus. Jesus will be our defense.

Be like Paul. Refuse to get caught up in jealousy, self-defense, constantly checking on “what they are saying or doing.” Let Jesus be in charge of His other press agents, and you just keep making Him famous. Be like Paul; continue to rejoice. This is the fruit of a new heart.

• Do you have anyone who is trying to make your life miserable? Pray for them, then let it go and go share Jesus.