If you don't manage your life, others will. If you don't take care of yourself, no one else will. If you don't set boundaries for yourself; the crowd will get what they think they need from you, but soon there will be nothing left to get. Then they will discard you like an old pair of shoes.
If you set boundaries to manage your soul, many won't like it. They will accuse you of being arrogant, uncaring, not spiritual, unloving, etc. They will tell you about the life of Jesus, who never turned away anyone...of course - He didn't begin His public ministry until he was 30 and died at 33. He also had no wife or children to take care of...no soccer games to go to, no sleepless nights...up caring for a crying babies etc...
If you have a public platform, most people think you are obligated to carry out their will...pray for them at their convenience, take pictures until all you can see is lights, hear every detail of their story, while 40 other people wait in line behind them, follow you out to your car or talk to you over the bathroom stall. You are expected to answer every post, email, phone call, text, etc.
If you love God and are passionate about caring for people...if you give people hope and believe in miracles...if you pour out your soul for the broken and the poor...if you are radically generous...you WILL have favor with God and man. BUT if you don't steward the favor of God...if you let the fear of man be your shepherd...if you convince yourself that you are the savior of the world, obligated to meet every need that you are exposed to...YOU WILL CRASH and the crowd will find another savior.
So a little advise from an aging man; chill...you are not that important.
Have fun! Enjoy your life. Learn to say NO! Operate out of overflow. Let Jesus love on you. Let the crowd think whatever they want...and remind yourself that there is always enough time to touch everyone Jesus sent to you. :)
~ Kris Valloton
Editor's note - What Kris has illustrated is all too common in the body of Christ. I don't believe it was ever God's will to make a handful of people responsible for the majority of the work of ministry. That's why my desire is to train every believer I can to do the works of the kingdom.
