Ballast

Ballast

The purpose of meetings, testimonies, and all other ministering is not just to express something that is true and correct. The goal is to gain something by what we do: gain entrance into the hearts of the others. Therefore there are many things to consider. I must consider whether the truths that are being expressed meet the immediate needs of the individuals or the congregation I am speaking to: what my motives are for saying what I am saying and how I am presenting it. It becomes a question of the speaker’s attitude of mind—having sober thoughts about himself and the ones he is speaking to. This means that he must have as small thoughts as possible about himself and as high a regard as possible for the ones he is serving. All this is part of love and wisdom. “He who wins souls is wise.” Prov. 11:30.

Just as a sailboat needs ballast-iron in the hull to avoid capsizing, so each one of us needs ballast in our “ship” in order to avoid capsizing—to avoid becoming puffed up and proud because of God’s various gifts and blessings. “What do you have that you did not receive?” “In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” “Pride goes before destruction.”

When the boat is “top-heavy” and there is insufficient ballast in the hull, there is a high probability that it will capsize. Therefore we read, “Take root deeper downward, and bear fruit upward.” Having great thoughts about yourself, exercising yourself in matters that are too high and beyond your ability, going beyond your measure, taking greater delight in speaking and performing than in personally walking the way, seeking to help others without seeking the help which you yourself need, judging the others but not yourself, being quick to speak but slow to listen—all this is weight at the top and not in the hull.

Our solid and common ballast, which we ought to keep an eye on at all times, can be divided into two weighty ballast-irons:

1) Our previous life: the purification from our former sins up until this very day. If we forget this, we lose our vision and get nowhere. 2 Pet. 1:9; Titus 3:2-3.

2) Our shortcomings and inadequacies at this very moment; for example, our lack of wisdom for winning the very ones to whom we are preaching or speaking at this very moment. Our lack of loving sacrifice for those we are preaching to in such a sweet way; or everything that we still may not have victory over, both at home and abroad, night or day, in secret as well as openly. 1 Tim. 4:16; Jas. 4:9-10.

When these things are consciously before us during our service for the others, we are guaranteed not to capsize, and our ministry will succeed, since it is pleasing to God and to those who love the things that are godly.

Life’s “voyage” is not a game. We all have opportunity to see skilled sailors capsizing and almost capsizing. I have personally seen this.

However, there is no shortage of care and help from God’s side. He even gives extra ballast when He in His unspeakable love and wisdom decides that it is necessary. “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.” 2 Cor. 12:7.