It’s one of the oldest tactics in the book, and yet we are surprised and ensnared by it every time. We experience another person’s glory, and the Enemy is right there whispering something like, “That’s amazing, isn’t it? People don’t respond to you like they do to him/ her. You will never be anything like that person. You are such a lightweight, an amateur, a cheap imitation—that’s why no one is asking you to speak/pray/teach/meet/write/work like they do that person.”
We can disarm this accusation, not by minimizing the other person, but by realizing that another’s glory never diminishes our own. Every person’s glory is needed. Every person’s glory has its own function and place. Every person’s glory is developing.
I remember how vulnerable I was to this regarding God’s charge to write this book. My book agent told me that what I had written was awful and that he wouldn’t represent my work to any publisher. And as if that wasn’t hard enough, one of my closest friends and colleagues was pursued by publishers to write even more books. The accusations were flying: Your writing a book is a joke; why do you think no one wants to publish you? You’ll never be a writer like John; don’t keep fooling yourself—stop writing. Now I realize some seven years later, this book had its own time that was connected with my journey and was different from John’s.
So either out of intimidation or embarrassment, you have been “talked into” diminishing your glory to the point where you do not want to offer it.
"Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life." (Gal. 6:4–5 MSG)
