3 Crucial Things to Remember When Leaders Fall
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Last year I had the privilege (that’s how I felt at that time) to write an article on the life of Ravi Zacharias. He was a man I admired and looked up to for his defense of the faith and for the connection he made between our mind and our faith. I remember vividly one thing he said when I heard him speak which was that many people come to church and leave their minds at home.
While it is normal to look up to leaders, you must recognize that ultimately they are not the anchor of your faith. Jesus is. Your Christianity is not determined by the actions of others. Whether you serve God or not, whether you follow Jesus or not should not be swayed by what people do. It can be discouraging, but it should not destroy your faith. When it is all said and done your hope should be in Christ alone and nothing or no one else. He is your anchor.
When you read the pages of Scripture, they are filled with the failings of imperfect men trying to carry out God’s perfect plan. What was true then is still true now. There was only one who followed God’s plan perfectly. There was only one who fulfilled every requirement of the law and who lived a sinless life. There is only one name by which all men can be saved. That one is Jesus. He will not disappoint and he is the one who can be fully trusted.
You should never pledge the allegiance you give to Jesus to anyone else because honestly they don’t deserve it. There is only one who went to the cross, paid the penalty for your sin and rose from the dead to give you the hope of eternal life. This is where your full allegiance needs to remain. I can promise you that through every hard place in life, Jesus will be with you through it all and will never let you down. Let this be the anchor for your faith and the anchor for your soul.
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It is very easy to stand on the outside and say “how could you.” When these things happen, the inclination is to be ready to pass judgment. Trust me I get it. As much as you may want to judge, that is not the response you should have. Notice what the instruction Paul gave, gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. The right path for this person does not mean help them stay in ministry or keep their position of authority and influence. The right path means to help them overcome their sin and restore their relationships, with God first and with anyone who has been hurt by their actions.
The goal should not be to get them back to a position of ministry as quickly as possible. The truth is some might be better off away from public ministry altogether. The goal should be to get them back to a healthy relationship with God which is why they were saved in the first place. This is most important. When you fix that, then they are in position to fix any of the other broken relationships and damage they may have caused.
The other reason to stay humble is to recognize your own humanity. In both of these verses Paul says be careful that you don’t fall. If you think you would never do that or that won’t happen to you, be careful. If you think you are above these types of temptations be careful. It is not enough to recognize their humanity, you must keep yours front and center as well. Remember you and the leaders are the same and given the same set of circumstances you might react the same way. Don’t be the one who brings the gavel, be the one who brings the grace. You never know when you might need it.
I don’t know who the next person in leadership will be that will fall victim to their sinful nature. I do know that we need to stay humble, pray for those in leadership and walk close to Jesus. He is the one that can keep you from falling, but that only happens if he is the rock that you build your life upon.
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