Life Matters - May 29, 2024
As a young man still trying to figure out church-life, I built a number of emotional pedestals for church leaders whom I greatly admired. What I didn’t know is that, while I may have rightly admired the talents and giftings, the pedestals were man-made figments of my own unreal expectations. The poor guys kept falling off! And incurring the hurt feelings of Emanuel. Years later… as a church leader… I suspect I fell off a few pedestals myself… Besides falling off a house roof…
The Bible does have expectations, which we refer to as qualifications, for church leaders. Those expectations are realistic, full of common sense, and not subject to emotional heights nor any windy turmoils of this world shaken by collapsing pedestals. They apply to real men living real life on a real globe that was created good by a good Creator, but, nonetheless, has been broken by sin. A breaking that was, and is, the fault of man, not God, who created us with the freedom to choose moral right or moral wrong and to reap the benefits, or to suffer the consequences, of our choices.
Biblically qualified church leaders labor outside the bounds of bondage and within the bounds of freedom. Not perfectly, perhaps, but in understanding the natural bent and idiosyncrasies of human nature and in understanding our desperate need for the grace of God, effectively labor within those confines. A very emotionally taxing place to labor, but also a very emotionally rewarding place to labor as it is also a spiritually rewarding place. Because God is there in the Person of Jesus Christ by His Spirit enabling all recipients to minister spiritual life, within His secure confines, defined by the Law of Christ, to the degree each one receives it. Happy is the Christian worker who understands, is a personal recipient of, that Law of Christ, and labors within its liberating confines. He (or she) is truly free.
While emotions are a very real part of who we are, they must simultaneously be kept in subjection. Wise decisions and choices have Truth coupled with Love as their basis.
The first rule of medicine is: Do no harm. A medic, a firefighter, a first responder, a doctor, a nurse… or a Christian worker… who emotionally falls apart on the job may well do more harm than good. The place to fall apart emotionally is before God… in a private place. Or with some person, who, like Elihu, can lead one into God’s presence. And yes, I’m speaking to myself as well. I am not exempt. Neither are you. God Himself says we are all of like passions, even the prophet Elias had them when he ‘’prayed earnestly that it might not rain’’… then, three and a half years later prayed again…and it rained! (James 5:17-18)
As President and as a political leader, Donald J. Trump won my respect and admiration while he was in office. Does he do and say everything Biblically correct? Certainly not. Could he be a Biblical church leader? Again, certainly not. He has, however, proven himself to be an effective and competent President. So much so that his detractors attempt to keep the spotlight on his past, real or imagined, (how can we know?) personal failures. As with all finite men, emotional pedestals are dangerous places, both to the one being so lifted up and to the one doing the lifting. All that being said, he is still the best presidential candidate we have, reminding me of one Ronald Reagan. So say I, thank you for listening.
As for the present administration, are there not enough warnings? What can I say? The devastation he hath wrought to national morals and morale speaks for itself. Those who refuse to see it never will without a change of heart. I suspect his pedestal is called: ‘’Never Trump.’’
I have some unsolicited ‘’Never Trump’’ and ‘’Never Biden’’ advice. Never put either one, nor any finite person, on an emotional pedestal. By the authority of the Word of God I can promise all who do so a letdown. Evaluate the facts. Evaluate the values. And act accordingly. If American government fails, if churches are overtly and covertly attacked, if the nuclear family living attacks are escalated, we cannot say we had no warning…
Our Lord Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the only One worthy of our unwavering devotion and our devoted loyalty. He will never let us down. ‘’Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.’’ (I Corinthians 2:9-10) But God…! Jesus Lives! He will set all things right for all those who love His appearing! (II Timothy 4:8)
Life Matters!