PRAY FOR THEM
I was just sitting here thinking about some very wise words from my mother. Whenever we got excited about a particular preacher or a certain ministry, she would admonish us, not to focus on the person, and make a point to remind us that "they are men". She wanted us to understand the danger of glorifying the vessel, rather than the God of the vessel--it's tempting because we can see the vessel, with our natural eye. At the time, I don't think I realized how important and prophetic her words would be.
Before she died, we had begun to see scandals with church leaders--Jim Jones was in the distant past by February, 1993. We had gone through a couple more major ones, and of course many smaller (some completely unnoticed) ones. However, I don't think any of us could have predicted what we see, today--it is a pretty regular part of our national news. My mom would always say, "take your eyes off the man, because the success of his ministry isn't about him or HIS talent or ability--it's about God". I get it now. After seeing so many fall in disgrace, you begin to see the humanity in all of its failures and inadequacies. That's not really a bad thing, because when you see how inept you are (like the prophet, Isaiah; Isaiah 6:1-5) at holiness, then you are ready for God to make you holy and righteous according to His ability--and, He is Omnipotent to do so.
Another point she used to make, is that we can't really blame leadership--at least, not entirely, because it is the congregations that set them up on the pedestals that they topple from. We don't give them a chance to be a servant, before we crown them king and lord. We snatch humility away from many of them--as hard as they try to maintain it, and push them into a coat of pride, buttoned up in greed and self-service. It has gotten so bad until those who have fallen don't recognize the need to repent--the important thing (for them) is how can I keep this "thing" from getting out, how can I keep my church, and how can we settle for the least amount of money. That is not how forgiveness operates when offense occurs.
Luke showed us a picture of forgiveness from both sides of the fence: the part of the forgiver and the offender. Luke 17:4, shows us how to carry ourselves in either situation. When you have offended, you must seek forgiveness from whomever you offended (if you have only offended God, and no one else, then it is fine to only ask God for forgiveness; however, if your offense was at the expense of another, according to several versions [including the KJV] you are obligated to "turn again to thee [the offended], saying, I repent". The offended party must forgive and forgive and forgive no matter how many times he is offended, whenever it is sought, it must be given--we have to forgive, in order to receive forgiveness. Forgiveness is not based on our being deserving of it, but on the need of the offender.
I think we have taken the offender's part out of the equation; does that give the offended a right to hold resentment and refuse to forgive? NO; but it does make forgiveness much harder. I know from experience that no matter how deeply I have been hurt, when a sincere apology was offered, I was healed remarkably fast; and conversely, when not given I have struggled--and do struggle for years with letting the hurt go.
Leadership has a great responsibility. If we really love them, we would not keep setting them up for satan to destroy them. Love them as God intended. Provide for them (we are responsible for this), but recognize they are the same as you and I--there is to be no respect of persons. We are all one Body. Love our church leadership to life, not death.
Before she died, we had begun to see scandals with church leaders--Jim Jones was in the distant past by February, 1993. We had gone through a couple more major ones, and of course many smaller (some completely unnoticed) ones. However, I don't think any of us could have predicted what we see, today--it is a pretty regular part of our national news. My mom would always say, "take your eyes off the man, because the success of his ministry isn't about him or HIS talent or ability--it's about God". I get it now. After seeing so many fall in disgrace, you begin to see the humanity in all of its failures and inadequacies. That's not really a bad thing, because when you see how inept you are (like the prophet, Isaiah; Isaiah 6:1-5) at holiness, then you are ready for God to make you holy and righteous according to His ability--and, He is Omnipotent to do so.
Another point she used to make, is that we can't really blame leadership--at least, not entirely, because it is the congregations that set them up on the pedestals that they topple from. We don't give them a chance to be a servant, before we crown them king and lord. We snatch humility away from many of them--as hard as they try to maintain it, and push them into a coat of pride, buttoned up in greed and self-service. It has gotten so bad until those who have fallen don't recognize the need to repent--the important thing (for them) is how can I keep this "thing" from getting out, how can I keep my church, and how can we settle for the least amount of money. That is not how forgiveness operates when offense occurs.
Luke showed us a picture of forgiveness from both sides of the fence: the part of the forgiver and the offender. Luke 17:4, shows us how to carry ourselves in either situation. When you have offended, you must seek forgiveness from whomever you offended (if you have only offended God, and no one else, then it is fine to only ask God for forgiveness; however, if your offense was at the expense of another, according to several versions [including the KJV] you are obligated to "turn again to thee [the offended], saying, I repent". The offended party must forgive and forgive and forgive no matter how many times he is offended, whenever it is sought, it must be given--we have to forgive, in order to receive forgiveness. Forgiveness is not based on our being deserving of it, but on the need of the offender.
I think we have taken the offender's part out of the equation; does that give the offended a right to hold resentment and refuse to forgive? NO; but it does make forgiveness much harder. I know from experience that no matter how deeply I have been hurt, when a sincere apology was offered, I was healed remarkably fast; and conversely, when not given I have struggled--and do struggle for years with letting the hurt go.
Leadership has a great responsibility. If we really love them, we would not keep setting them up for satan to destroy them. Love them as God intended. Provide for them (we are responsible for this), but recognize they are the same as you and I--there is to be no respect of persons. We are all one Body. Love our church leadership to life, not death.
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