I have something that I am a little bothered about so hang with me. I think that somehow we got Isaiah 6 wrong. It seems that our tendency is to take the things that are meant for God (such as exaltation and praise) and actually begin to reflect those things onto people...and even do it while claiming that it is praise. When someone does something really great and they are a follower of Jesus we "give glory to God" by giving huge "pats on the back" and "good jobs" to the point that the line really gets drawn as to whether we really give much credit to God at all.
I am sure that you have seen things like this too, probably on things that do not matter.
But what about this scenario:
A couple who has been married for years begins to have marital problems. They actually go through a painful divorce. At some point, one actually asks the other to go with them to a church...as a friend, nothing more. They join a "Bible study" and begin to develop friendships. Along the way they rediscover each other and the church encourages them as they decide to re-marry. The church even goes to the point of having them on stage in front of 500 people telling their story and inviting the church to come as they renew their vows.
Sounds great doesn't it...
But what happens when, after all the applause and friendly handshakes (and smugness that we did our job in getting 2 people back together), their marriage falls on hard times again? What happens when they can't seem to do it alone and we not only aren't there for them, but they have the memories of sitting on stage staring into the eyes of people with expectations? How do they make it when they can't tell any of these "perfect people" that their life is a wreck? Where are we then?
We are probably somewhere else, praising another of the elite among us.
I hate when we screw these things up.
Brad
2 comments:
by Os Hillman, January 6, 2006
Failure That Leads to Godliness
All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and
he became their leader.... - 1 Samuel 22:2
God uses broken things to accomplish His greatest work. When David was anointed
to be the next king, he was just a boy, the youngest among all his brothers. Little
did he know that the next several years would be years of fleeing from Saul whose
successes turned into obsessions as a leader who had fallen from God's anointing.
Perhaps David thought, "Why am I living a life as a fugitive?" I am the
next king of Israel. Yet, his life was filled with adversity after adversity before
he ever fulfilled the ultimate calling God had for him. Others began to hear of
David's successes and identify with his plight. But, it wasn't the successful and
polished who came to join him. It was "those who were in distress or in debt
or discontented" who would be part of his army-and an army it was! His army
would become known throughout the world as the greatest ever assembled, not because
of their skill, but because of the God behind the army. God turned David's men into
"mighty men of valor" (see 1 Chron. 11:10).
God often uses failure to make us useful. When Jesus called the disciples, He did
not go out and find the most qualified and successful people. He found the most
willing, and He found them in the workplace. He found a fisherman, a tax collector,
a farmer, and a doctor.
The Hebrews knew that failure was a part of maturing in God. The Greeks used failure
as a reason for disqualification. Sadly, in the Church, we often treat one another
in this way. This is not God's way. We need to understand that failing does not
make us failures. It makes us experienced. It makes us more prepared to be useful
in God's Kingdom-if we have learned from it. And that is the most important ingredient
for what God wants in His children.
You, my dear anonymous friend, are right. My point is, we are not doing a good job passing that info along to those who are exploring a new faith.
I want to be a part of a community that really communicates this.
brad
Post a Comment