Friday, September
22, 2017
Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you;
if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. As you test yourselves, I hope you will
recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority. We pray to God that you will not do what is
wrong by refusing our correction. I hope
we won’t need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive. Do the right thing before we come—even if that
makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority. For we cannot oppose the truth, but must
always stand for the truth. We are glad
to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature. I am writing this to you before I come,
hoping that I won’t need to deal severely with you when I do come. For I want to use the authority the Lord has
given me to strengthen you, not to tear you down. 2 Corinthians 13:5-10(NLT)
Walk softly and carry a big stick, and you will go far is a saying attributed to Theodore Roosevelt
(although Teddy claimed it was a West African proverb).[2] The statement’s meaning is that a leader can
be civilized and calm during a diplomatic negotiation because there is an
implied use of military force
behind everything the leader proposes.
There’s little need for bluster and threatening; a leader leads with the
power of the people behind him.
The big stick of apostolic authority
seems far removed twenty-first century American culture. It’s hard to identify with first century
Christians who knew what it was like to have leaders who, with direct authority
from above, could speak prophetic utterances that either extended or ended lives. Theirs was a big Heavenly stick!
Paul’s
leadership was not like today’s leadership.
Paul led largely by using the authority he possessed sparingly; he
resisted throwing his weight around just because he could. And he did things that way because Paul’s
purpose was to help build God’s people, rather than tear-down. Paul didn’t want to conquer anyone else; Paul
wanted to strengthen and prepare the church to do everything God wanted.
Because of
his prominent position in the early church, and the conflict that surrounded Paul’s
ministry, his reputation has suffered over the centuries as being a woman-hater
and autocratic dictator. However the man
is perceived by those who don’t read the Scriptures closely, it is obvious Paul
was an enthusiast. Some would call him fanatical,
bigoted, or extreme, but the proof is in the result; Paul was a builder of the
church, and his tool belt carried a big enough stick that he could walk very
softly.
Today, in
the church and in politics, our culture seems to reward those who walk loudly,
brashly promising big stick results. The
consequences of such may be building something, but it is neither a church, nor
a culture which resembles something to love, and for which you would sacrifice. We are headed with our secular, hedonistic,
pragmatism towards a cultural cancer that will rot us from the inside. By our choices of rewarding and honoring the
squeakiest wheel, we are losing sight of Godliness – the pursuit of holy living
which loves and esteems others above ourselves.
For You Today
The last
time I checked, bragging and bashing others with a big stick were not on the
list of spiritual gifts.
You chew on
that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!
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