The Ideal Motivational Seminar
If I could organize the ideal motivational seminar, I would select these speakers and the subjects they should discuss:
- Moses would handle the topic “Succeeding with Opposition”: How to give up comfortable, meaningful work so that you can live every day loving and serving those who criticize you, hate you, and prefer death to following your leadership.
- Joseph would address “Helping Others Succeed”: How to stay compassionate and forgiving while you dramatically improve the quality of life for all of those who have tried to make you miserable and/or kill you.
- David would speak about “Pre-Giant Obstacles”: How to focus on the giant that needs killing when those close to you think you are only a glory-seeker, the army prefers observation to action, and the leaders think their way is better than yours (even though you’ve had success and they haven’t).
- David’s follow-up workshop could be about “Post-Giant Obstacles”: How to handle a boss who is jealous of your success and intimidated by your ability.
If people in Christian ministry were invited to such a seminar, these workshops would be packed out. We are desperate for ideas about how to go on when our actions are criticized, our motives impugned, and our accomplishments ignored. We want someone to explain why our leaders second guess our ability and loyalty, why our co-workers are unkind toward us and our work, and why those we serve don’t respond to our help. We long, parched and worn as we are, for someone to tell us why Christians seem prone to cultivating such hostile environments for each other.
Certainly if Moses, Joseph, and David were to address us we could gain valuable insights on how to stand against constant opposition. However, our seminar series would be incomplete without the Keynote Speaker. We need to hear from One who not only can identify with us but also can give us a reason to keep serving when vision and joy have long ago departed.
Of course, no one understands how it hurts to be misunderstood and hated more than Christ, the Man of Sorrows who is acquainted with grief. He experienced the entire gamut of hostility—from being misunderstood to being murdered. He was despised and rejected, but He wasn’t depressed. In fact, the closer He got to Calvary, the more He spoke of joy. The more people turned against Him, the more He turned toward them. Calvary shows us to what extent people will go to fight against Divine goodness. But it also shows the extent Christ will go to show Divine love.
Maybe we don’t need an educational seminar—even one with such outstanding speakers. Maybe all we need is for Christ to open our spiritual understanding so that we can see Calvary for all its worth. When the hate seemed unbearable, Christ responded always with love. He prayed for those who railed against Him. He understood that they didn’t know what they were doing. He forgave them. And upon rising again, He continued to reach out to the very ones who laughed at Him, spit on Him, denied Him, and stabbed Him.
When I was a teacher, I often thought my job was to teach lessons and put grades into the grade book. When I was asked to coach, I assumed I was to lead the practices and guide the team. When I was asked to write, I generally figured the goal was to have words printed on paper. Those things never should have become my prime objective. Every time they did, I got angry with those who hindered my effort or took credit for my achievement.
Seen in light of Calvary, teaching, coaching, and writing—every service opportunity—is ultimately an opportunity to let Christ love people through me. I don’t have to pretend ignorance of the hostility against me, but I do have to let go of my record of their hostilities. I don’t have to work up a warm and fuzzy feeling for those who have slandered me, but I do have to ask God for ideas and opportunities to show them kindness. I don’t even have to break down the barriers I’ve erected around my soul in an attempt at self-preservation. The more I understand that I am hidden with Christ in God, the more I will realize that I don’t have to defend or protect myself. I should not want to be safe from incoming evil actions but should want to make sure others are not safe from my outgoing acts of good.
Romans 12:21 states, “Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” In his excellent book, How to Overcome Evil, Jay Adams writes, “Good is the most powerful, most aggressive, most violent force one could possibly use.” God is creative at helping us come up with ways we can show good to those who hate us. While our ultimate goal is to win over the opposing party into a good relationship with God and with us, this method provides a remarkable side benefit. Plotting and executing a strategy of kindness shifts our focus from a brittle, eroding defense to a creative, energized offense. And before you say, “This will never work,” remember, “Love never fails.”
Showering goodness on those around you who are hostile and incompetent will not make them more competent. Some may never be completely won over from being enemies to becoming friends, but even if they resist the good that can come of our loving them, the attempt to show them love will change us.
About Esther Wilkison
Esther has a BS in Elementary Education and a MA in Biblical Counseling. Her teaching experience spans a wide ability and age range in both classroom and home settings. Esther also writes educational support materials and travels as the National Consultant for BJU Press.