And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. — Galatians 2:6

I love this little parenthetical statement by Paul. He makes a great point here. And we could easily read past it. But I want you to pause and notice the repetition of the phrase "seemed influential." Because this point will play a critical role in debunking the issues that are happening in the Galatian churches. And I think it should play a crucial role in the leadership of the church today because we ascribe way too much value to the brand, style, and leadership in the church. We make big of the wrong things, and because we do this, we invite distraction away from the thing that is a huge deal.

So when I show up to speak somewhere, which is a lot now that the pandemic is over, sometimes men will make a big deal of me. Therefore when I get up to speak, one of the first things I do is invite the men from the audience to come to get to know me after I talk. I invite them to introduce themselves to me. Because I know this simple invitation will break down that "big deal" that they are prone to make of me in their minds. And I do this for two reasons.

First, it's my way to tell them that I am not that big of a deal. Because I am not that big of a deal. I am not that cool. I am not that gifted. I am not that smart. And I am not that perfect. I am a guy just like the rest of the men in any room. I tell Dad jokes that are legendary in my mind, which I laugh at harder than others do. Sometimes I say sarcastic things to my wife and kids, which I regret later. And have divergent thoughts that I would be embarrassed about if they were played back on a screen for the world to see. So when I get up to speak, I want guys to know I am that big of a deal.

Second, I do this because if they think I am a big deal, their thoughts about me will detract attention from the One who is a big deal. He's the person I speak about more than any other. He's a man who lived, died, and rose again and was a very big deal. His name is Jesus. He the real big deal.

And over the years, I have discovered that I have to work pretty hard at not making a big deal of myself or letting others make a big deal of me. Because sometimes the temptation to be a big deal is a really big deal. It's tempting when you are a little down, a little defeated, a little lonely, or a little tired to crave the desire to be a big deal. And then someone will come along and make a big deal of you. And it feels good when this happens. Because, let's be honest, you might need a little lift. But the problem is, even a little of this is very addicting. It's like a drug. It's the worse drug. It's a drug you feed yourself with yourself, and you have access to it in unlimited quantities because you've got access to it all the time — it's more of you.

So today, fellas, practice making a big deal of the right person. But remember, we are not beating ourselves down to make a big deal of him. We are just giving more attention to the one who is a big deal.

ASK THIS: How do you need to make a big deal of the one who is a big deal today?

DO THIS: Give a shout-out to him today!

PRAY THIS: God, thanks for being a big deal. I am thankful for you.

PLAY THIS: Audio Adrenaline - Never Gonna Be As Big As Jesus.

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