Issue 1301 – Lord They’re Going to Stone Me – November 22, 2023
Leadership is a tricky thing. It is impossible to make everyone happy; sometimes, it seems impossible to make ANYone happy. Unfortunately, this is especially true in positions of Christian leadership.
A Christian leader faces all the usual perils and problems of leading but bears the burden of doing so in a Christlike manner. Since both the leader and the followers are fallible people, it doesn’t always work smoothly.
Pastors, elders, deacons and team leaders all face struggles at times. Leading can be a very lonely and painful task. Even when things go well, there is opposition; when things aren’t going so well, or change is in the offering, opposition magnifies.
There is nothing new about that. Moses, God’s appointed and anointed man for the job, often faced rebellion in the desert.
All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. Exodus 17:1-6
We place people in leadership positions after weighing the options, considering the candidates and plenty of prayer. That is all good, but then we want perfection from them.
We forget that they are people first and leaders second. I spent 14 years in pastoral ministry in an incredibly supportive church plant. The church continues today. Yet, like any leader, there were plenty of attacks from without and within.
We must remember to respect our leaders but never place them on a pedestal. Everyone will fall off the pedestal at some point. The only perfect man is Christ. The fall from the pedestal can do significant emotional damage and irreparably harm a person’s credibility or ministry. It can destroy a congregation.
Are you one of the crowd who is ready to stone Moses, or do you pray for your leaders, giving them support and grace? All leaders will need forgiveness and grace at some point, just as will all followers.
Who pastors your pastor? Who leads your leaders? Here are some suggestions; none are new or radical, but we must practice them intentionally.
Pray for the leaders in your life daily.
Tell them how much you appreciate their efforts. It need not be something forced or flattering, just a simple thanks or note of appreciation.
Listen to them non-judgmentally. Be a sounding board for their ideas.
Let them be people.
Don’t complain; offer solutions.
Quit whining about them to others; take your problem to God.
Respect their confidences.
Think of all the little things you can do to uplift and edify them…then do them.
Get off the sidelines and get involved in the church and its ministry in some capacity.
Remember how much you crave grace and forgiveness and offer it to them when they err.
Until next time, may the Lord help you see ways to support the leaders in your life and move you to do so.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 KF “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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