The Butler
Judy Bauman
There he was standing in my kitchen dressed in a fine black tuxedo with tails, black tie, white shirt and gloves, and a regal looking face. He appeared and acted just as one would expect the finest and most refined butler to look and behave.
In his left hand he held out a very large silver platter covered by an exquisite dome lid. It was ornate around the edges, and he smiled as he held out the large, impressive, decadent piece. I leaned towards him in anticipation to see what was being presented to me under the dome. It was surely to be something wonderful. The distinguished man smiled as he slowly lifted the dome off the platter and presented it to me. I smiled back at him with eager expectation and looked intently under the dome at the contents of the fine plate.
What I saw so deeply shocked me that I gasped and stepped back. I looked up to take another look at the face of this man who at first seemed to be there to serve me. He stepped toward me and again presented the silver platter and beckoned me with his smiling eyes to take it. I took another step backwards and refused his offer. This was much too costly of a 'meal' for me! Then, just as quickly as he had appeared, he vanished (See James 4:7). I pondered what I had just witnessed.
Under the dome lid on the silver platter was a 'kingdom' in all its splendor. The 'kingdom' that was under the dome was "Christian Fame." At that moment I realized that when Jesus was standing on the mountain being tempted by Satan this was one of the kingdoms presented to Him. (See Matt 4:9)
Because I have always thought of kingdoms as large areas of land with rulers and riches, this was a kingdom that I had never considered. I could see that it might have been the most tempting for Jesus, as well as to His church. The Lord showed me how this 'kingdom' is being presented to many Christians, and this meal is being prepared specifically for them according to the call on their lives. A short little scene was played out for me in my kitchen that day to illustrate how the devil uses 'Christian Fame' to lure many of God's children out of God's timing and will for their lives.
Understand clearly that this does not mean that persons famous in the Christian realm have taken the bait of Satan. God has called some to evangelize, teach, sing, prophesy, encourage, and gather financial support for orphans, homeless, and widows through television, radio, book writing, tapes, CD's and the like. However, there are many that the devil has come to holding out his silver platter and they are either not called to that arena or they get out ahead of God's timing.
Do not be misled by the teaching: "God is no respecter of persons - He has to do for you what He has done for others!" That is only a half-truth. (See Deut 10:17; Acts 10:34). Yes, God will not respect man because of position, skills, class, wealth and those types of things, however, God is not obligated to do for me what He has done for someone else. We have many examples of that in Scripture. Not everyone is called to be a teacher or a prophet. Not everyone is an apostle or a pastor. If I have the gift of evangelism, I can't stomp my foot at God and demand He make me a TV evangelist because He did it for Billy Graham. He may want me to evangelize in children's church, a prison, or in a nursing home. God made David king, but didn't permit everyone to be king just because He did it for David. David wanted desperately to build the temple, but was not allowed. Many times we are not permitted to do something we want to do, but we must trust God anyway. Unless God is the author of the vision then we labor in vain struggling to accomplish some thing He will never bless (Ps 127:1). My prayer is for you to be only what is shown to you by God's Holy Spirit, and not get poisoned by partaking in this fatal meal this Butler hopes you will eat. As 1 John 4:1 warns, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
Shown in 1999/Shared in 2006
