Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday May 10, 2007

If we are to accomplish very much in this life, we must learn to fearlessly face one mountainous obstacle along the way. Do you know what this mountain is? Is it fear itself? Is it the fear of failure? These "fears" are real and are more often than not, devastating. Yet aside from these one reigns supreme as the reason for failure to try anything worth doing.

Abraham Lincoln stated well when wrote:

"If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how, the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said about me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten thousand angels swearing I was right would make no difference."

This piece by President Lincoln is the best advice on overcoming the fear of criticism I have ever read. Overcoming criticism, while the journey may tough is worth the trip. Wise people know that no one wins at everything. Nor does anyone lose at everything, though I may be a record holder. During the time when great ocean going ships were being developed, the cry, “It won’t float” rang loud and clear over hill and dale. When two bicycle makers decided to fly what they called an airplane, others called it "The wings of fools." Yet Wilbur and Orville went to Kitty Hawk, and flew. Most of the people around Kitty Hawk quoted the caterpillar remarking about the gorgeous butterfly hovering overhead, "You'll never get me up in one of those new fangled things."

As a pastor for nearly all of my adult life I have studiously followed the principle of faithfully proclaiming the truth of Christ. And I have studiously followed the practice of experimenting with new packages. In other words, at 65 I am learning about Power Point and other technical ways of making my proclamation of God’s truth more effective. I was criticized for this by none other than my son, the fruit of the love his mother and I have basked in for 43 years. My own son criticized me. Can you believe it? I have to admit I failed somewhere and raised a nervy kid, Doctor's degree and all. I know he has a Doctorate, but, but mind you I am his father and he should save the criticism for lesser lights in the kingdom of God. Jon said, "Dad, you are not Cecil B. DeMille and you don't have to be. In media presentations to the church, photos, clips, outlines, are not the production, the sermon is the production, the Power Point is a help to get the point across, and that's why they call it 'Power Point.'"

I know you find it hard to believe that my own flesh and blood talked to me in this manner. I am recovering, though the cross is heavy. My own son.

A few years ago a visiting family said they would not be back for our worship service. "Not enough sacred music." Well over the years we have loaded our worship service to the gills with good, quality music that moves the spirit, not necessarily the foot. Wouldn't you know that a few weeks ago a family visited our church and yep, you guessed it, they won't be back. The father figure, I call him "figure" due to the fact that his wife whispered the words to him, "We felt as though the sermon was merely interrupting the music concert." This was stated with the head held high and the gaze streaming down the knobby nose. I suppose the knobs were from sticking it in the business of the wrong people.

As you live for Jesus, discover His will and start. You may succeed. Again, you may fail, but keep in mind the critics need a hero or someone to laugh at and use as an excuse for their own lack of courage. If you really live you will be one or the other. One day the pigeon, the next the statue, but at least you are living.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit.

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