08/02/2025
*Dear Young Minister,*
The moment you begin to dishonor those you once reveredโthe very ones you prayed to meet, sought wisdom from, and admired from afarโyou step onto dangerous ground. Elevation is a test, not just of skill but of character. Eventually, you may find yourself operating in the same space as them, sharing the same platforms, or even leading a ministry that appears larger than theirs. Be careful! Honor is tested not only in seasons of obscurity but even more in seasons of visibility. The true measure of growth is not just in influence or numbers but in how you still regard those who paved the way before you.
If visibility and influence now make you too busy to acknowledge those who once poured into you, if you start believing that they need you more than you need them, then pride has already crept in. And pride is a silent destroyer. Watch itโwhen those you once esteemed stop calling or reaching out, it may not be because they are jealous of your success. Many are simply hurt, wondering why such dishonor is being meted out to them. Honorable men often choose silence, but their silence should concern you if your heart is still tender before God.
Pay close attention to the phrases you now use: "I'm busy," "I'm not talking to anyone this week," "I'll call you back"โbut never do, or "I'm praying for 12 hours every day." Be careful when spirituality becomes a justification for neglect. Pride often hides behind intense fasting, long hours of prayer, and the illusion of deep consecration. But if your spirituality makes you too great to honor those who once lifted you, it is no longer true spiritualityโit is deception cloaked in devotion.
The principle of leaving your gift at the altar (Matthew 5:23-24) is not just about worshipโit is a divine warning about how God values relationships. Jesus Himself taught that if you bring a gift to the altar but remember that someone has something against you, you must leave the gift, go and reconcile, and then return