There are only two kinds of people: those who act like God and those who play God. The first are motivated by deep, compassionate love and show respect. The others claim to know best for everyone else and impose their opinions on others with contempt. John Milton accurately portrays this impulse of humans (through the voice of Satan) by writing:
Here we may reign secure, and in my choice
To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav’n.
(John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book II, Lines 240-242)
The theory of those who play God is, even if you can’t reign in real hell, make life hell for others and dominate them.
The theory of those who act like God is, by devotion to the worth of others, make the world a better place.

In the God’s Word Translation the word “wait” occurs 162 times in the Bible! Why?

Because people, wanting to be like God, want to do when God wants to do it for us and through us. We are constantly forced to review the Garden of Eden sin, lusting “to be like God” (Genesis 3:4).

Today is the anniversary of Pentecost, the day the Body of Christ (Church) was truly born.

In a spectacular way God demonstrated that God can do it, and people can join in.

“Once, while [Jesus] was meeting with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for what the Father had promised. Jesus said to them, ‘I’ve told you what the Father promises: John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’|” (Acts 2:4-5 God’s Word Translation©)

The Church (not congregations) exists because God is at work, NOT because people are smart, skilled, or simply sensational.

Wait for God to lead, call and do. Serve God. Do not chase your need to be a famed or noticed champion deserving accolades and honour!

“A time will come when people will not listen to accurate teachings. Instead, they will follow their own desires and surround themselves with teachers who tell them what they want to hear. People will refuse to listen to the truth and turn to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4 God’s Word Translation)

“Do good things everywhere you go. After a while the good you do will return to help you” (Ecclesiastes 11:1 International Children’s Bible)

“A fool starts out by talking foolishness and ends up saying crazy things that are dangerous” (Ecclesiastes 10:13 God’s Word Translation©).

While reading “Rationality” by Steven Pinker (2021) this truism haunts me:

It seems the most opinionated people are the ones who know the least about the topic being discussed.

They:
Are too lazy to study and research;
Willfully dismiss any information which challenges their opinion;
Base conclusions on their ideology instead of the facts;
Swallow conspiracy theories which tickle their ears;
Blindly follow anyone who inflates their egos;
Are awed by teaching which is complicated and full of special elite knowledge;
Are loyal to those who condemn others and justify this immoral and anti-social behaviour.

“I turned my attention to study, to explore, and to seek out wisdom and the reason for things. I learned that wickedness is stupid and foolishness is madness” (Ecclesiastes 7:25 God’s Word Translation©).

Human beings have ego. However, those followers of Jesus who have died to self have also crucified the ego.

We compliment people of faith for their help or wisdom under the assumption that those people are more human ego than Godly servant. The mature Christian rejoices when God gets all the glory, for the desire of the humble servant is to do everything “wholeheartedly as though you were working for your real master and not merely for humans” (Colossians 3:23 GW©).

Abba Daniel reported the story of a monk who went to a nobleman’s home where the daughter was demon possessed. On entry the demon slapped the monk through the daughter. The monk, as Jesus commanded, turned the other cheek. The demon is reported to have said, “The commandment of God is destroying me!” and left, and the girl was healed.

When this was reported to the advisor, he gave God the glory, saying “Even the pride of demons falls before humble obedience to the commandments of Jesus Christ.”

No praise to the monk, but only to Jesus.

Do you need compliments and recognition for doing something for Jesus? If so, who is on the throne of your soul? It is likely not the Monarch and Creator of the universe and The Lamb who deserves all “praise, honor, glory, and power” (Revelation 5:13 GW©).

Even if the fig tree does not bloom
and the vines have no grapes,
even if the olive tree fails to produce
and the fields yield no food,
even if the sheep pen is empty
and the stalls have no cattle—
even then,
I will be happy with the Lord.
I will truly find joy in God, who saves me.

(Habakkuk 3:17-18 God’s Word Translation©)

When God’s people trade away faith in God for religious opinion, whether Israelites of old or self-declared heroes of today, God sends natural or political alarms to awaken them to their sin and bring them back to spiritual sanity.

Sometimes people respond humbly and repent, turning from the off-trail route to the highway to heaven. Other times they decide to find their own solution apart from trusting in Almighty God.

The Lord declares,
“How horrible it will be for those rebellious children.
They carry out plans, but not mine…
They pile sin on top of sin…
They look for shelter under Pharaoh’s protection
and look for refuge in Egypt’s shadow.
But Pharaoh’s protection will be their shame,
and the refuge in Egypt’s shadow will be their disgrace” (Isaiah 30:1-3 God’s Word Translation©).

In today’s terminology it would read, “They look for shelter in the Charter of Human Rights and look for refuge in their lawyers’ shadow.”

All I know is a Follower of Jesus will never use a secular court case to win a spiritual battle.