It is one of the highest compliments a person can receive. Few have the courage to say it about themselves. It is an unspoken rule that if the honor is given, it must come from another person.
To be a self-made man is to be one who has succeeded without the help of others, taking on whatever the circumstances and overcoming with sheer grit and determination. It is the pinnacle of independent strength and achievement.
If we asked God to identify “self-made’ people”, who do you think he would name? It really would make sense to ask him, wouldn’t it, because he knows things about people that we don’t.
But if the Bible is a good indication of how God would respond, the answer is more than likely, “No one!” The concept of the self-made person doesn’t leave any room for God’s role in his creation. It suggests that we are all masters of our own destiny and what happens in our lives is up to us and us alone. One doesn’t have to read the Bible to see the arrogance in that kind of thinking. Even the most ardent atheist will admit that everyone needs some help from other people, even if it might not seem significant at the moment.
This Sunday we’re going to be studying the life of King David, a man who some might call “self-made”. But the truth is, his success was not primarily the result of his bold courage or shrewd strategies. No, David was not in any sense a self-made man. He was, in fact, a God-made man. He was a severely flawed and self-centered individual in whom God worked powerfully to accomplish things which only God could produce in a man. In a few words, David was transformed to become the person God used to bless other people. The good news is God intends to do the same in you and me.
While it might bring a rush of exuberant pride to hear someone say of you, “That’s one self-made person”, the truth is, it is much more important for you to know you’re a God-made person.
Sunday Morning Worship – 10:00 am