Finding Hope When Leaders Failනියැදිය

One of the most consistent aspects of childhood play is the division of characters into “good guys” and “bad guys”. There is something natural and even comforting about such a simple classification. A child may prefer to be one or the other, or might like to alternate between the two, but the division itself provides a neat structure in which to act.

Take one look at the political situation in the world right now and you’ll see that adults are just as prone to such simple classifications. The main difference is that adults seldom, if ever, choose to identify as the “bad guy”. We are always the “good guy” in our own stories.

When you add a religious layer onto these divisions, the distance between them can grow even further. For someone who belongs to God’s people, the thinking might not merely be, “I’m not a bad guy.” It might be, “I couldn’t possibly be the bad guy. After all, I am righteous, while they are sinners. I am saved by God, while they will be judged.”

Jeremiah 7 contains a horrific list of sins by God’s people, including injustice, oppression, murder, idolatry, theft, perjury and adultery. And yet, the people were coming into God’s house and saying (to paraphrase), “We are safe! This is the temple of the Lord; he will not harm us here”.

God’s reply? (to paraphrase again) “Look at Shiloh, they thought they were safe too, but I thrust them from my presence. I’ve warned you, over and over, and now I will do the same to you.”

When we look at the church today, there’s no question that it is being attacked by “bad guys” from outside of it, i.e. non-Christians who want to see the church and its leaders brought down. At the same time, I think we can all acknowledge that there has been injustice, oppression, idolatry and falsehood within the church, even from the “good guys”.

If that’s the case then at least part of the hardships we’re experiencing in the church today must be because of God’s righteous judgement, disciplining and refining of his people. God isn’t just watching, he is acting… for our ultimate good and to build up the church, because that’s what he’s promised to do.

Can I encourage you to spend some time in prayer now, confessing the sins of God’s people, in which we all have participated? After that, offer yourself in obedience and submission to the loving discipline of God.