Still foolish enough to believe.
Broken Rising Blog | 006
By Gary Don
There are still some foolish people out there, people foolish enough to believe. There are people that despite all they’ve seen, all they’ve been through, and experiencing all the hypocrisy in the church by people who were supposed to be the real deal – they refuse to abandon child-like faith in Jesus. The world is full of unwise people, people who are unaware of basic common sense and stumble around by throwing the dice at life and hope it goes their way, and when it doesn’t, bitterness sets in. However, it’s increasingly difficult to find those who refuse to be scared by cynicism and take risks, not out of selfish negligence, but out of an almost foolish belief that there can still be some good in this world. Unfortunately, the faith-foolish kind of people are becoming a rare bread in the church as well. That’s because when we are broken under, we can fall into the trap of being cynical and political. When we’re wounded by a boss in the business world, we know it’s just business, or when we’re wounded by a dear friend or loved one who is an addict, we know they are suffering from disease and we understand that the pain they caused us is coming from their own pain. However, being wounded by a church leader has vastly different dimensions to it. Senior church leaders represent God themselves (That’s the job they signed up for), they stand for faith-fulness, God’s love, and hope for the future found in the gospel. The shark tank mentality of the corporate world is to be nowhere near the senior church leader’s leadership culture. When we’re deeply wounded by a church leader pain eventually sets in, and as it does, it eventually chokes out our child-like faith. When that happens, we stop being foolish for Jesus.
Thankfully however, there are still some foolish believers out there.
In one of his divinely inspired defenses of his ministry, Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!” (1 Corinthians 10:4). As you read the chapter, you get the sense of Paul’s use of sarcasm to make this point; The love of Jesus compelled him to be a fool for Christ, for the sake of the gospel and the church. Paul then lists many of the ways that he and the others apostles have suffered through their service for the people of God, without fane fare, gratitude, or the ability to enjoy the trappings of influence. Before you were deeply wounded by a church leader you took risks for Jesus. You did what He called you to do, even when others thought it was unwise. You made less money than others did. You put up with the mess of humanity for Jesus. You were ridiculed for doing your best for Jesus. You were ignored out of hand for Jesus. You were a fool for Christ. Here’s the thing however, the Kingdom of God is of those who are fools for Christ. The ones who refuse to embrace a cynical faithlessness mind caused by the pain of wounding while serving in the church. The ones who refuse to believe that the purposeful hypocrites will in the end win the day.
Thankfully however, there are still some foolish believers out there.
The robbery of your child-like faith and once uncynical view of the church and its future is one of a number of casualties of the result of being wounded by a church leader you served. The worst part is how it effects your future in regards to your calling. No one makes informed faithful prayers when they hold a cynical view of God’s call and the church itself, that’s because it’s always hard to listen when you’re in pain. You need healing from that pain of betrayal and mistreatment, and the Lord is going to do it in you. However, to get there you need to be willing to be a fool for Christ again, willing to place your trust in Jesus with child-like faith and accept the call to take the journey. When you do, you will see your heart healed and your calling in Christ restored.
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