Who Are You!

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace." Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.

Hebrews 7:1-3

Who was Melchizedek? He is perhaps the most mysterious character in the Old Testament. Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe of the spoils of war. ^“Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.” Surely the identity of Melchizedek will be on the “questions to be answered in heaven” list.

Who are you in the story of God’s working through this generation of men? The truth is simply this: Great men and women of God rarely, if ever know how history will remember or not remember them. We will meet men and women in heaven who are highly honored by God but are not remembered by men. And I suppose the opposite will be true. There will be some who are honored by men as “great saints” but are not so deemed by God.

It is not for you to know your place in history. All of your contemporaries may hold you up as great or they may put you down as worthless in God’s working on this earth. But the opinions of men, even righteous men may not mirror the judgments of God Almighty.

So instead of trying to “make a name for yourself” in God’s kingdom, work to make a “Name for Jesus.” Your eternal value is determined only by what Jesus thinks about you and your life. What others think, or even what history records is irrelevant.

Believe it or not, praise is potentially more destructive to a servant of Christ than criticism. A very wise man once told me not to listen to praise and to consider the criticism to see if it is true and then make changes accordingly. Working for the praise of men or listening to the praise of men can divert you from the calling of God in your life.

Remember, only God knows the purpose He had in mind when He created you in your mother’s womb. Fulfill His calling for today and let history say what it will or nothing at all.