Tuesday, April 15, 2014

What do we do when we realize that the people we look up to are just human?


There has been an increase of celebrities and gospel singers and pastors who have been having their “dirty laundry” exposed by other people. Some of them have been pictures revealing them in the nude, others have been videos of sexual acts taking place and others have been alleged allegations of abuse. From time to time you used to see this but over the last 12 months it seems that it has happened more. It may be because of technology, the Internet and social media.  People who have revealed this information in all cases have their objectives leaving the minister, the celebrity or a or musician the victim. Others who may be victims as well are the family and the children and the follower of the ministries that hold these positions.
  But the question that is to be raised is what do the people of faith do when these things take place. The one that we look up to, the one that you have been following and enjoying their music their sermons their ministry; what do you do when we realize that this person is merely a sinner no better than yourself and even has done things that you probably never thought of doing.

     The answer is that you do nothing.  You thank God that he is the one that is in charge. And you love on that person and let them know that it is ok and God loves them and forgives them. And in most cases you should not turn your back on them. The only difference is that the things that they did has been exposed. The fact remains is that there are very few if any person on this earth that has not done something that they would be ashamed of if it was revealed to the world to see. These are the things that should strengthen our faith. God is calling us to look beyond those who are of flesh because they will fall short every time. We humans have a way of messing it up. We have a way of falling short we have a way of doing things for pleasure and when the things that we do in our privacy is aired it puts us in the position to be judged. But God has revealed to us that we who are without sin should cast the first stone.
    The followers of Christ put their earthly leaders too high on pedestals and at times create a mini savior without even realizing it. And God has a way of reminding us that he is the one that we should serve and that every human being that is on this earth is a sinner, some more than others, but at the end of the day it is all the same.   
    I serve a God that has sacrificed his own son and has paid the price for everything that we have done. God was born incarnate in the flesh taught us and preformed miracles  and suffered  and tempted in every way that we do, and was  crucified died and buried and rose from the dead. All of this happened for a reason.
  We are so preoccupied with others sins when there is enough grace from God that is sufficient for all of our sins. God is calling us to have faith in him. The death and resurrection of Christ was for a reason.  This week is considered Holy Week for Christians and Passover for our Jewish brothers and sisters.  We should thank God that we have an advocate that heals us from all that is not godly and washes us clean.

There is a story in the Bible told in both Mathew and in Mark. There was a man who was very powerful. And he had this favorite slave that he highly favored that became ill. He sent for Jesus to come and heal this slave. As Jesus was on his way to this mans home he stops Jesus and tells him that he is a powerful man so powerful when he tells folks to jump they say how high.(paraphrasing) But he is humbling himself to him to ask him to come and heal his favorite slave. He tells Jesus that he a sinner is not worthy to receive him under his roof but to only say the words, and his soul may be healed. Jesus tells the man that his faith has healed his slave and it is done. And this reminds us this week that no matter what we have gone through in life, no matter what we have done or failed to do, if we seek God we will truly live forever.
    Christ has destroyed the sting of death and died for the sins of the whole world. We are called to put our faith in him and love each other and ourselves as he loved us. For we will be judged for all of the good things that we do and our shortcomings all of those things have already been paid for.