Self Promotion...

SELF PROMOTION…All of us probably know someone who is a self promoter. They’re kind of hard to be around for any length of time aren’t they. There’s an old southern saying when speaking of the self-promoter… “if you could buy that guy for what he’s worth, and sell him for what he think’s he’s worth, you’d be a millionaire”! Here’s an interesting snapshot from scripture…
“During his lifetime, Absalom had built a monument to himself in the Kings valley…” ~2 Samuel 18:18
Absalom was an arrogant man who felt his way was better than everyone elses. He was one of King David’s sons, born into privilege, handsome with long wavy hair & accustomed to getting his way on everything. While David was a great leader, he didn’t work as hard at leading his son’s to do what was right. Absaloms life reads like a spoiled child who never grew up. He burned Joab’s field to get his attention; he killed his brother Amnon; he sat by the city gates befriending all the people who were at odds with his father, the king; he subtly stole the hearts of the people & forced his father out as king; he set up tents on the top of the palace roof & slept with his fathers wives in full view of the people…you get the point. He truly believed that he was better than everyone else …and his perspectives were simply higher. Self-promotion flowed so naturally out of him that he saw nothing wrong with building a monument to himself in the valley of Kings, though he wasn’t a king. Self promoters never see their sickness…or how they sicken those around them. Interesting isn’t it. Nor do they see the thick barrier between themselves & the voice of Christ. Hearing & responding to the voice of Christ is an exercise in humility. We will never hear the voice of Christ clearly as we are gazing upon our own monuments of achievement. We will only hear Christ as we are gazing upon His monument… …THE CROSS! ~verlon