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Many years ago I sat with a pastor and his wife and their thirty year-old daughter and son in law. We were there to try and resolve a conflict between the couples. The daughter had really pulled away from her mom and dad, causing a lot of hurt in their lives. We sat in my office for a while, trying to get to the root of the problem when suddenly mom leaned over and put her hand on her daughter’s leg and said, “Honey, you will always be my little girl!” BINGO! I got it. Her little girl had grown up into a mature woman and was now a mother herself. But her mom wanted her to stay small. It made her feel needed and important. Unknowingly, her mom was keeping her from growing up. The daughter had to distance herself from her family so she could come into her God given destiny.

The Bible says , “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time”. One of the main rewards of humility is that we get to live an exalted life. Why is it then, that most of us preach humility but never talk about living in greatness?

In Australia there is something called the Tall Poppy Syndrome. When someone tries to become great in that country, the culture pro actively sabotages their growth. This has resulted in Australia having virtually no national heroes.

The Church has it’s own Tall Poppy Syndrome, but it isn’t right. The Kingdom of God is supposed to be a place where people become great! We are called a Royal Priesthood by God and we are referred to as kings by the Apostle Paul. We must deal with our insecurity and create a culture that breeds champions. We have to remind our sons and daughters that it is their calling and privilege to do greater works than we’ve done!

Lets continue the legacy that Jesus began in our family by encouraging those we influence to grow up, become mothers and fathers, and change the world.

Kris Vallotton