By Tavares Robinson
It’s amazing how many people pretend to live Spirit-filled lives until their denominational persuasion or political preferences are touched.
In fact, the rivers of gross deception have risen and swept away many who you thought were sober-minded and biblically centered.
We spend more time on social media “politicking” and “positioning,” rather than praying and proclaiming. We operate our social media sites the same way we read our Bibles — proof-texting. This is best described as a method by which an individual isolates a quotation and uses it out of context, without regard to the true meaning of the quotation. Not to mention, proof-texting does not consider how a quote coincides with other quotes on the same subject.
But we scroll through countless sites to find material that supports our presupposed beliefs. And based on our discoveries, we believe that our views must be accurate because others think the same way. Delusion!
In the words of Demosthenes, an ancient Athenian statesman and orator, “Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we wish, we readily believe.”
It is discouraging, sickening, and appalling, to see the behavior and mannerisms of so-called believers when their “idols” are touched. If we had this much passion for Christ, and His word, like we do for our favorite preacher or political party, the church’s landscape would look differently.
Make no mistake about it, God is going to give every nation the leadership that they deserve. The leadership you choose, tells a lot about your heart and what God thinks about you. The nation of Israel wanted a king so they could be like the rest of the world, so God gave them a king that looked impressive — head and shoulders above all the people — but he was never God’s choice. God gave the people a physical manifestation of what their hearts looked like internally. Every time they saw King Saul, they saw themselves.
What is God saying to us today? From the White House, down to our local church house, we are childish. We have people in positions of power with titles, but they don’t possess neither the character nor the temperament of that title.
Abraham Lincoln said, “If you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
This spirit of pride in leadership is alarming, egregious, and eternally dangerous! True biblical leadership is about serving, not demanding; it’s about being last, not first; it’s about leading, not controlling; it’s about being mistreated, but not retaliating; it’s about humility, not exaltation; it’s about giving your all, but not expecting something in return.
True leadership is not an avenue for validation or fulfilling one’s self worth, it’s about responsibility—eternal responsibility. It’s about standing before the Alpha and the Omega, alone, and giving account for your motives; your stewardship of the things you received and the things you have heard; and in what way did you influence others. It’s about forever foreseeing the day that Christ will ask me to hold my hands up, and to wonder if blood will drip down from them. It’s a terrifying duty, not a worldly glorified acceptance.
Many in leadership are suffering from the Dunning-Kruger Effect and don’t even know it. It’s a psychological principle, but the Bible has one word for it: Pride. People suffering from this effect are really incompetent and unable to recognize their own incompetence; therefore, it leads to an inflated self-assessment of their abilities. But this is not something new; it was part of God’s judgment in times past.
The prophet Isaiah declared, “I will make boys their leaders, and toddlers their rulers. People will oppress each other--man against man, neighbor against neighbor. Young people will insult their elders, and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable. In those days, a man will say to his brother, ‘Since you have a coat, you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of ruins!’ But he will reply, ‘No! I can't help. I don't have any extra food or clothes. Don't put me in charge!’ For Jerusalem will stumble, and Judah will fall, because they speak out against the LORD and refuse to obey him. They provoke him to his face. The very look on their faces gives them away. They display their sin like the people of Sodom and don't even try to hide it. They are doomed! They have brought destruction upon themselves. Tell the godly that all will be well for them. They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned! But the wicked are doomed, for they will get exactly what they deserve. Childish leaders oppress my people, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you; they send you down the wrong road” (Isaiah 3:4-12).
God’s judgment on a society can be when He withholds true godly leadership on every level; subsequently, the void is filled with zealous, pompous and incompetent people.
To be deprived of godly leadership is worse than a famine of food and water. Mark this down: Anytime there is incompetence in leadership, there will be a breakdown and a disrespect among the people.
Notice what God said through Isaiah: “People will oppress each other – man against man, neighbor against neighbor. Young people will insult their elders, and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable.”
Do we not see this very sign among us now? There is a level of hate and disrespect in this country that’s brewing toward internal catastrophe. In an age in which sexualimmorality has been giving a platform to proclaim its sinful indulgence, so has racism, fascism, and ill-treatment has been given a mic. The volume of that mic has been so magnified that even Christians and church leaders have begun to parrot the same language. When leadership in the church submit to secular and unredeemed counsel to be the template of how they are leading God’s people, frightening consequences are looming.
Church, wake up and stop allowing the world to lead! Are you being the light? Have you allowed the water of worldliness to dilute your spiritual composition of being salt? Have we become like Samson and played with the world for so long that we, in our pride, just assume Christ is still with us? Have we been become so deceived that we think Christ is a Republican, Democrat, or other?
There is a story in the book of Joshua, chapter 5, right before the possession of Jericho, Joshua has an encounter with the pre-incarnated Christ. Joshua asks the Man is He for them or for their adversaries? And to Joshua’s surprise, the Man does not respond with an answer to Joshua’s question; he simply says, “No!” This is not a proper response to a question but He refuses to answer because Joshua asked the wrong question. It was not about was the Man on Joshua’s side, but whether Joshua was on His side. The question should be, “Are we really on the Lord’s side?” Are we really viewing current events through the lens of the word of God? Or are we simply “cherry-picking” to reinforce our determined view?
You can be “so proud to be American,” that you become disqualified from being a humble Christian. Don’t misunderstand me; I thank God for the freedom from which this nation has granted me, but I’m not so deceived to the notion that you can be a great patriot, and still be an enemy with God.
Patriotism does not equal Christian citizenship. In many churches in America, the messages on Sunday tend to be whatever transpired that week from the news – sinful! I would challenge those who are sitting in the congregation week after week, hearing political driven message, to ask your pastor, “Are you a spokesman for political parties or for Christ?”
Ask him, “Are you viewing circumstances through the lens concerning the Last Days, or are you viewing circumstances through the lens of your political vote?”
Childish leadership has taken over the scope of the land. We are correcting errors with other errors but believe it’s OK because the last thing was so wrong; deceived! Today’s leadership needs to be reminded of the ancient proverb, “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
In today’s culture, being vindictive, easily offended, and entitled, has become badges of honor. The statement “either you are for me or against me,” has become the statement of faith for many. Unsettled hostility and anger are being diagnosed as “passion,” and both accepted as admirable virtues.
Let us not forget what king Solomon said, “Don't befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul,” (Proverbs 22:24-25). Why are these things happening? Could it be the judgment of God? Could history be repeating itself once again?
Believers, take Isaiah’s warning seriously concerning how your leaders are leading you down the wrong road. Ask Christ to give you hears to ear because the Holy Spirit has been giving orders to start the eviction process. There are many things that have taken place among church leadership that God has not overlooked. God’s mercy goes beyond humankind’s understanding, but when He says, “that’s enough!” Who is going to restrain Him? Christ will indeed have a pure church who has not defiled her garments.
Check out our podcast titled: "A Platform, but No Answers."