THE COLLECTOR'S MENTALITY

"After that, Jesus said to his followers, “You have to go out to everywhere in the world and tell everybody the good news about me"- Mark 16:15 (PEV)

Fritz Kreisler, the world-famous violinist, saw an exquisite violin on one of his trips, but he wasn’t able to buy it. After saving enough money, he returned to the seller with the hope of buying the beautiful instrument. But he was surprised that it had been sold to a collector. Kreisler made his way to the collector’s home and offered to buy the violin. The collector said it had become his prized possession and he would not sell it. Kreisler was keenly disappointed and was about to leave when he had an idea. “Could I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?” he asked. Permission was granted, and the great virtuoso filled the room with such heart-moving music that the collector’s emotions were deeply stirred. “I have no right to keep that to myself,” he exclaimed. “It’s yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world, and let people hear it.” (Culled from: Our Daily Bread, February, 4, 1994)

There are two categories of believers in the kingdom - The Collectors and Distributors. The collectors gather valuable things about God but are unwilling to share them with others. They have archived God's redemption agenda for mankind in their hearts like a prized possession. They have stockpiled many beautiful evidence of God's faithfulness in their heads. Many hell bound souls would have been rescued if those archived items had been shared with them. But the self centred nature of the collectors would not allow them to share what they had collected with others. This is very pathetic!

However, the distributors are always ready to share what they have collected with everyone around them. They understand the terrible implications of being a collector (1 Cor. 9:16). They eagerly seek for opportunities to take the gospel to others without being coaxed.

"..It would be agony to me if I did not constantly preach the gospel!"- 1 Cor 9:16b (TPT)

It is unfortunate that the number of the collectors in every church is more than that of the distributors. Majority of Christians who go to church every week to collect sermons never bother to share what they learned with unbelievers around them. They are busy building up their Bible knowledge database and testimonies catalogues without paying any attention to the pitiable conditions of sinners around them. What a myopic lifestyle!

Dear brother, sister, deacon, deaconess, pastor, evangelist, apostle, prophet and bishop, I sincerely hope you are not a collector in the body of Christ. If you are, then, please repent today. You actually don't have any right to keep the Gospel to yourself. Please stop giving flimsy excuses for not sharing the good news with others.

One special hymn that summarizes a crucial instruction Jesus gave to His disciples in Mark 16:15 is titled "THE COMMISSION"

THE COMMISSION By Isaac Watts

1.“Go, preach My gospel,” saith the Lord.
“Bid the whole earth My grace receive.
Explain to them My sacred word;
Bid them believe, obey, and live.

2. “I’ll make My great commission known,
And ye shall prove My gospel true
By all the works that I have done
And all the wonders ye shall do.

3. “Go, heal the sick; go raise the dead;
Go, cast out devils in My name;
Nor let My prophets be afraid,
Though Greeks reproach and Jews blaspheme.

4. “While thus ye follow My commands
I’m with you till the world shall end;
All power is trusted in My hands;
I can destroy and can defend.”

May God destroy the collector's mentality in His church and energise us to take the gospel to the world as Christ commanded in Jesus name, Amen.

On behalf of my esteemed father in the Lord, I will like to invite you to the 70th annual convention of the RCCG, with the theme: PERFECT JUBILEE. Date: 8th - 14th August 2022. Venue: Redemption Camp, Km 46, Lagos Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria. Ministering: our beloved Daddy, Pastor E. A. Adeboye and other Anointed Ministers of God.

Good day and God bless you.

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo
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