Miley Cyrus bared her back…and now is embarrassed and parents are concerned…hmm, I was before she bared her back.
So many celebrities…so many say…of their love for Jesus…but then they tend to stray. I think I even heard once that Brittany and Oprah consider themselves Christians…and lovers of Jesus...and who am I to say...it ain't so.
It is easy to say that I love Jesus…but it is more difficult to live the life He directs me to live…which is to turn away from the things of the world and follow after Him…and yes, He can use those in the entertainment industry…but they tend to get swayed by the attention…and it is so unkind of the people of God to do the same to their leaders, their pastors, their priests just the same. It’s a set up…and this quote I read yesterday…helps me understand and try not to judge, but more often pray:
“Other people in the church must develop a more realistic set of expectations about Christian leadership. In the past, they put so much faith in leaders that when they revealed a weakness it shattered their ability to trust. Such unrealistic expectations can only lead to disappointment because human idols always fall off the shelf”
I hear the echo… human idols always fall off the shelf… human idols always fall off the shelf… human idols always fall off the shelf…
Now I am compelled to tell of some personal pain…although I’ve forgiven…I think…it helps me understand to explain.
As a teen in a church…there was the pastors daughter…just a year older than I…oh so beautiful on the outside. The problem I saw…and experienced too…was that the inside was not so pretty as she was often mean and cruel. I recall after leaving the church hearing my mother say…that this pastors daughter was getting married to a navy man…now how nice that would be…I hoped that it would go well for her…but then my mother told me…the wedding was canceled the day before the event…as the groom had decided he couldn’t follow through…and while I know no more…I recalled my experience with her…and I was not walking with the Lord at the time…so I didn’t think to pray for her…although I’m certain my mother did.
Now the next story I tell is how my mom tried to help me. I was a mom with two babies, but my husband and I had separated. I was forlorn and downtrodden…and didn’t know where to turn. My mom sent me to see the pastor…a new one since I’d been there…and she assured me he would listen and advise with care. Now while I really didn’t want to go…I pushed past my doubts…and entered his office and shared of my life choices and sin…that had led me to the situation I was in…and all I recall…is that he recommended I find another place…to find a place where there were other people like me…who understood my situation. He said the couples in the church didn’t have the experience of this single motherhood or abuse…so all I heard him say…in his body language…we don’t want your kind…now please just go away.
Now the last story I’ll tell…I didn’t quite get it at the time. I was new in my faith…only a couple years along. I had the desire to hear a speaker I’d heard before…but I also knew I was needed to help with the Super Church planned for the children…so I went and served…cause it was the right thing to do…knowing I could purchase a tape of the sermon the next day. But when I went to buy a tape, I was told it was not being sold. And there was no more explanation than that from them. So I asked one of my friends who had been at the sermon…and she was evasive at best…and her other friend…that I thought was also a friend of mine…said to the one…don’t tell her anything…remember the pastor said it was only for those who were here…and later I confronted and asked why I couldn’t hear…and she said cause she was told not to tell. Now as I’m learning more about the kingdom of God and His plan…I have to wonder about a man of God who would tell a church to keep a secret? What was said? Why the mystery? What was revealed that had to remain hidden? I only know now…that those things that are hidden are dark…and now I wonder if there was/is darkness within this man of god…and I ask God to reveal…to this man…His truth and love. There are no secrets in the kingdom of God.
Hmmm…ok, one more story…I’d like to say it ain’t so…but as the light reveals the bugs and the not so nice things…I confess I am impatient and unkind many times…and licking my own wounds…instead of helping another…so I’m just saying…I’m imperfect…and I know those who know me already knew it…but I’m also so jubilant and filled with hope…that one day the whole /new created/complete woman of God will be seen more easily. He already says I’m am…I say , while I’d like to say my sins ain’t so…they are…but I’m also just sayin…
That the Lord is good and greatly to be praised
And while I wonder when I hear…I know I can only believe what the Lord tells me
And while I try not to gossip or talk to others about what I see…I’m sometimes unsuccessful
But then I have learned that the kingdom of heaven is light
And I have heard and believe nothing is hidden in the kingdom of God
The truth is plain for all to see
But so many, even leaders can become deceived
When they copy the behavior and customs of the world
Instead of letting God transform Him by the power of His Word
So they promote and they market…and they dream big visions
and leave the hurting outside the fold as they chase after this dream.
Yes, it’s true that there is no church that will ever be perfect…
But when the sin is hidden and covered instead of exposed.
Then the children of God are deceived and confused
And they wonder 'what’s wrong with me that this bothers me so'
Not understanding that the spirit of the Lord is so grieved
And not only for the lost but for those who proclaim to know the truth…but are truly in darkness…and are wounded
But the pain is covered…is hardened inside…so the wounded are ministering…and being elevated by the people idolizing worldly and godly folks…but I choose to only follow after Jesus…as He told…and forsake my desires…and pick up this cross he requires…and make a fool of myself if necessary in following after him...in exposing my own wickedness…and the light that comes from doing this.
So I end up with this…I have nothing but God…and if that’s all that I have…it’s all that I need…but as I give up my visions and dreams and my desires…he meets all those needs that I truly do need…which is in Him…which is His love, peace, joy, faith, kindness, gentleness…patience with me…yes all of the fruits that I cannot recall … all of them will manifest as I learn to only follow and obey only Him…and yes that requires that I have…a human in leadership that is following after the Father…and is also so real with his warts and his failings…that he doesn’t tell me to hide the filth…but to go to cross of Jesus…and let Him heal and release all the darkness…and bring me into the light…and be a part of and be in the community of Christ.
One more thing before I close…the link to the sermon that helped me to see…that though sometimes I think I’m crazy…I am becoming quite sane…in being led by the One and Only…who leads me again and again! And while I know that He leads each of us as we need…and this message may not be something you want to hear…or it may not apply…I’m just sayin…I’m sharing…in case you need to hear…what I heard…love ya, Carol.
http://media.whchurch.org/2008/2008-04-27_Boyd_What-Kind-of-Leadership_64kbps.mp3
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