An article about my book (Simply Balanced: Bible “Contradictions” Teach Balanced Living) was featured on the front page of my local paper this past week! It was so exciting to see it there.
http://www.crossyourheartpub.com/Press.html
Seeing it, I realized, yes, I am really doing this! I’m a published author now, and I need to tell people about my book.
Even though I believe in the message God has given me, and I want to help people, actually TELLING people has been one of the hardest parts for me (now that it’s time to actually do so). Something about telling people I wrote a book sounds too prideful, and I want to be more humble. Yet, if no one ever hears about my book, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of reaching people? I need to be less modest and just tell people, “this book will help you”! “It will help you grow closer to God and balance your hectic life.” Still, it’s difficult.
One thing that helps me feel more comfortable “talking up” the book is my recognition that it’s not ABOUT me — it’s about GOD! If I focus on this being God’s message (rather than “my” book), that makes it a little easier to tell people about it. God is the one who deserves all the glory anyway; I’m just His instrument — He made me enjoy writing and gave me the ability to organize thoughts coherently on paper (I’m not the only one, and I certainly won’t be the last).
But He is the only God! The Alpha and the Omega. The Living Word. The great I AM. Our never-changing God. He deserves all glory for EVERYTHING!
My dilemma actually fits right in with chapter 3 of my Simply Balanced book — the lesson about being humble in your own abilities, yet speaking boldly for God — so I need to take the advice God taught me and apply it to promoting “my” book.
From that chapter, Jesus tells us that “whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:4) Yet, Paul boasted of how they had conducted themselves “in the holiness and sincerity that are from God” and goes on to tell the people of Corinth that “you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (2 Corinthians 1:12-14)
Why did Paul boast when Jesus preached humility? The answer lies in what we boast about. We need to be humble in our own abilities yet confident and boastful in what the Lord does for us.
Humility saves us from making a fool out of ourselves and teaches us to live like Jesus. Pride, on the other hand, leads us to compete with others, rather than putting their needs first (as we should do in every thought and action). Humility gives all the glory to God. When I humble myself before Him, I am giving no glory to me and all glory to God.
Jesus may call us to be humble, but He also wants us to boast in Him. Being humble does not mean being meek like a mouse without ever defending your faith. On the contrary, the confidence we boast in through Jesus Christ should have us shouting from the rooftops: The Lord my God does great works through me! (Or, rather, my God does great works in spite of me since we are all imperfect sinners, every one of us…)
God gives us blessings and abilities so that we can do His work. Part of that work is giving Him the credit. All beauty and strength comes from God, even when an artist does not realize it. An artist, writer, or singer may not even be a believer, yet the angelic music or extraordinary art he creates is still from the God he fails to recognize. Just because a human being doesn’t believe in God doesn’t mean God doesn’t exist. God is still there, providing all ability and blessing. How much more majestic when we give credit where it is due—to God!
Being humble personally brings you closer to God. Boasting in God’s actions praises God and shows others who your King is and how Christ Jesus has changed your life. Demonstrating, recognizing, and calling attention to Christ’s work in your life can help bring others to Him, which is the main point. Like two sides of the same coin, humility and boldness work together to accomplish this.
“Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31) No contradiction whatsoever, only the perfect balance of God’s Holy Word.
