The Anointing to Be Inclusive
Verses:1 Kings 19:14,18
"He replied, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.'"
"Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him."
Elijah, a prophet of God, found himself in a moment of deep despair. He believed he was the only one left who truly served God. In his exhaustion and fear, he cried out to the Lord, expressing his sense of isolation and failure. He thought he was alone in his toil for God’s kingdom, unable to see the countless others who remained faithful. His exclusivism—his belief that he alone was right and committed—led him to overlook the broader work of God in the hearts of others. This narrow perspective not only fueled his despair but also revealed a deeper issue: the temptation to judge others based on his own limited understanding.
God’s response to Elijah is both gentle and corrective. He reminds Elijah that it is not for him to weigh the hearts of others or to assume he alone is faithful. God reveals that He has preserved seven thousand others in Israel who have not bowed to Baal. This revelation is a powerful reminder that our anointing is not a license to judge or exclude others but a call to be inclusive, to recognize and embrace the diverse ways God works in people’s lives.
Elijah’s story teaches us a vital lesson about spiritual humility and inclusivity. When we assume that we alone are right or that our way of serving God is the only valid one, we risk falling into the same trap of exclusivism that led Elijah to despair. We must remember that it is God who weighs the hearts of people, not us. Our role is not to judge others’ spiritual standing but to encourage and uplift them, helping them find their place under God’s wings.
True spiritual happiness does not come from the adrenaline rush of thinking we are the only ones who are right. It comes from the peace of knowing that God’s work is far broader than we can imagine. None of us has a monopoly on righteousness. Our anointing is not meant to set us apart in pride but to draw us closer to others in love and service. It is a call to broaden our hearts, to see the good in others, and to help them grow in their relationship with God.
This broadness of heart does not mean accommodating sin or compromising truth. Rather, it is a willingness to see the potential for God’s work in everyone, just as a parent sees the good in their child and nurtures it, helping them overcome their weaknesses. Elijah had to learn this lesson before he could enter the broad gate of God’s eternal kingdom in a fiery chariot. He had to move from a place of exclusivism to one of inclusivity, recognizing that God’s work is not limited to him alone.
In our own lives, we must guard against the temptation to judge others or to think we are the only ones who are right. Instead, we should strive to be inclusive, recognizing that each person has their own journey with God. We can correct and guide when we see something contrary to God’s will, but we must do so with humility and love, never underestimating the spiritual position of others. Our anointing is not a badge of superiority but a tool for unity, a means of holding everyone together under God’s wings.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for reminding us through Elijah’s story that Your work is far greater than our understanding. Help us to be inclusive in our faith, recognizing the diverse ways You touch the hearts of others. Guard us from the pride of exclusivism and teach us to see the good in those around us. May our anointing be a source of unity and love, drawing others closer to You. Give us the humility to correct with grace and the wisdom to uplift with compassion. Help us to broaden our hearts, that we may reflect Your love and bring peace to those around us. Amen.