May | 07 | Faithful Failures?

Key Word:- TRUST

Title:- Faithful Failures?

1 Corinthians 4:4,5…..but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, ….KJV

Reputed by many to be one of the best theological thinkers of his time; referred to as the 'Bloom of Puritanism' by Dr. M. L. Jones; hero of the faith, ignition point for the 'Great Awakening', missionary to Housatonic Indians and president of Princeton University, Jonathan Edwards was never the less voted out of his church after 23 years of service, and 1200 sermons! The vote was 200 to 23 against him. Astonishing.

On a similar note, I am always encouraged when I read about those Old Testament scallywags, which we sometimes pompously refer to as ‘Heroes of the faith!’ For you see today, we would throw most of them out of our churches and that's the truth. So, you can see how it makes me giggle when I hear them so lovingly referenced! Honestly, I truly believe if God hadn’t mentioned many of them in Hebrews 11, as being heroes in His eyes, then by today’s standards of measuring acceptable Christian giants, we would have written off the vast majority of them as fantastic failures, each one of them possessing tremendous individual shortcomings and seemingly gigantic impediments, that no respectable Christian should ever possess in today’s church. Undoubtedly at some point these ‘Heroes of Faith,’ like Jonathan Edwards, would be voted out of their churches and regarded as failed leaders.

However, understanding seeming failure is really not so simple. I wonder if at the Great Assizes, what we see now as failure may indeed be judged otherwise? Paul seemed to think so when he says, “It is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court” (1 Cor 4:3). You see, 'leadership' is in fact a triple mix of leader, followers and circumstance and failure in any of these variables can make or break the person up front, the person at the point, the sharp end, occupying the main leadership position. In this triple mix, some circumstances and some followers may be outside of your control you see. Edwards found that out and I tell you, Edwards was no failure!
Friends I speak to us all today then (for we all lead in some capacity) when I tell you that I am increasingly convinced of three things:

Firstly, that we all are imperfect human beings, so lighten up on leaders.

Secondly, repentance, growth and change are continual processes for us all, especially leaders. With your prayers and your encouragement, with your grace and with your favour, and especially with your support, your leaders will improve!

Thirdly and most importantly, that we followers can help leaders lead, can make leaders great, can invest and ensure the success of leadership. Yes, followers can make or break leaders. Think about that.

Listen: - Obey your leaders and follow their orders. They watch over your souls without resting, since they must give to God an account of their service. If you obey them, they will do their work gladly; if not, they will do it with sadness, and that would be of no help to you. Hebrews 13:17 TEV

Pray: - Lord help us followers to make great our loving leaders, in Jesus name I pray, amen!