MythBusters and Leadership, Part 2

#2 – Leaders Must Always Say REALLY Nice Things

So, if you were in church this past Sunday you know we started studying Galatians in this new series called, "Juicy Fruit." If you missed it, you can check it out by scrolling down below this post. At any rate, as I read through Galatians several times last week in preparation for this series, I was taught this particular Mythbuster, namely that leaders have to always say "nice" things. Have you read Galatians? I think Paul was a leader! With the exception of Jesus, I would say Paul was the most effective and influential leader. Listen to some of the things he said in this book alone:

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! 10Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:6 - 10)

1"You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish?" (Galatians 3:1 - 2)

12"As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!" (Galatians 5:12)

For your edification and comfort, Webster says, "Emasculate means to perform an archaic practice of castrating humans or animals."

If we can't say amen, let's all say together, "OUCH." :-)

Let me be clear - too many people believe that Jesus and Mr. Rogers are the same guy! As such, too many people think that the call of the Christian and definitely the Pastor is to be a never ending human mass of niceness.

Now don't get me wrong - I like niceness. I think I am a pretty nice guy...most of the time. :-)
But hear me out - to be a Christian or a church leader does not always equate to being a nice guy. The problem with that kind of thinking is Scripture.

Take a moment and read John 1. To follow in the footsteps of Jesus means that we strive to strike a balance between grace and truth. And sometimes truth requires us to not be sooooooo nice. Take a moment and read John 2. Have you ever really grappled with Jesus running people out of His Father's temple with cords and whips and turning over the tables of the money changers? Listen, there is such a thing as righteous anger and I am convinced, there are times when Christ followers burn with the same kind of passion and intensity we find in the life of Jesus.

Because I have some extra time today, let's push the Mythbuster case a little further. Have you ever read Matthew 23? In our language, Jesus "Lost It!" (Don't get hung up on that - we all know Jesus didn't lose anything) But check it out:

• In Matthew 23:15 He calls the most religious people in the world “sons of hell!” (Not what religious people like to hear...)
  
• In Matthew 23:25-26 He tells the religious peeps that they are clean on the outside but not the inside. (That will get you looking on the inside...)
  
• Matthew 23:33 He says, "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape from being condemned to hell." (Ssssssssssnakes - WOW)
  
• In John 8:44 He calls these people “sons of the devil!” (Can't you hear them muttering, "Did Jesus just call us sons of the devil?" YIKES)
  

Like we discussed on Sunday, Paul, and here we see our Lord, Jesus, was not REALLY nice about religion and other common acts humanity.

WARNING - WARNING - WARNING - Now, even as I type this, I am fully aware of how we have to be careful with this particular myth. If we are not careful, we can use these verses to warrant our own anger and/or sin. The truth is, when I am angry or not "nice," it is a result of my own sin/stuff more times than it is a result of righteous anger. However, that reality does not negate the fact that Jesus and His followers - Paul, you, and me included, will at times, be called upon to speak a courageous, challenging, and sometimes a not-so-nice word(s) for the cause of Christ and the advancement of the Gospel. Our obsession as Christians is NOT to be nice but rather, to live faithfully and obediently to the call and Word of God upon our lives.

The challenge, of course, is to do precisely that, with as much love as humanly possible.