How can we avoid idolizing leaders like in Acts 14:12 today? The Problem of Leader Worship “Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.” (Acts 14:12) The crowd at Lystra saw God’s power, yet they rushed to exalt human messengers. The same impulse still lurks in our hearts whenever we place pastors, authors, influencers, or politicians on pedestals only Christ deserves. Lessons from Acts 14:12 • Genuine miracles and gifted preaching do not make a person divine; they only highlight God’s grace working through earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7). • Idolizing leaders distorts the gospel. Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes in grief (Acts 14:14) because worship that belongs to God alone was being misdirected. • Even well-meaning admiration can slide into idolatry when we allow excitement to eclipse discernment. Practical Steps to Guard Our Hearts • Keep the First Commandment central: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3) • Evaluate teaching, not charisma: “Test all things; hold fast to what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) • Celebrate every leader’s dependence on grace: “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7) • Limit comparison-talk: “For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:4) • Practice thanksgiving upward, not just outward: praise God for the gift of faithful leaders, but thank Him first and most (James 1:17). Encouraging God-Centered Leadership • Leaders should redirect applause: “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you.” (Acts 14:15) • Cultivate transparency about weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). • Foster plurality and accountability—shared leadership helps prevent celebrity culture (Acts 13:1-3). Keeping Our Eyes on Christ Alone • Remember who truly saves: “There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) • Meditate on His sufficiency: “He must increase; I must decrease.” (John 3:30) • Anchor hope in His unchanging character, not in fluctuating human performance (Hebrews 13:8). By esteeming leaders as gifts rather than gods, we echo Paul and Barnabas, pointing every accolade back to the Lord who alone is worthy. |
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