When it falls apart ...
Let’s peek into the life of a gentleman in the bible book of Acts chapter 16. You may be familiar with him. He was a jailor. He was also a leader, no doubt a husband, for sure a family man. Let’s not entertain any distain you may have for him because of his former life Pre-Midnight. We all have Pre-Midnight lives … I’m thankful for my life Post-Midnight! Let’s get a CLUE…
He had a charge to keep ... He took it seriously ... So serious that he would have ... You know, taken his life. Now before you condemn him or call him weak and a failure … Think about his charge (Acts 16:24) He was given and received a “charge”. So Ask yourself the question “how many people in our world really take what they do that serious?” Do you take your charge as sober as this? Family, Friendship ... Faith ... Yes, he knew the penalty of losing the prisoners ... To add to that, think of the shame, the doubt, the second guessing ... "why didn't I check on them ... Why didn't I see this coming?" Of course, in actuality, there was nothing he could have done about it ... Things fell apart ... They crumbled ... It all broke up ... He didn't know why ... But it happened on his watch! He began to hear the voices "You failure" "You couldn't even keep it together" "Where were you?" The voices got louder and even more brutal … “You are going to die anyway because the magistrates will see to it!! The sword was drawn from the sheath … ready to inflict the fatal blow … Then he heard a voice ... A different voice "hey, don't do it ... We're still here … all of us!”
Failure happens ... Sometimes on your best day things will fall apart. (Of course I’m not speaking of a rule that this must happen … but it can in some way.) You feel the pressure ... pain ... You're perplexed ... "what went wrong?" You're at the point ... That point ... Not physical suicide ... But spiritual suicide - you're about to "check out" ... check out of fellowship ... Your faith ... Your family ... What's the use! Then you hear a voice … another voice; different. "Don't do it ... We're still here for you!" “Yes things fell apart but as you have been here for us, we are here for you!”
Let’s peek into the life of a gentleman in the bible book of Acts chapter 16. You may be familiar with him. He was a jailor. He was also a leader, no doubt a husband, for sure a family man. Let’s not entertain any distain you may have for him because of his former life Pre-Midnight. We all have Pre-Midnight lives … I’m thankful for my life Post-Midnight! Let’s get a CLUE…
He had a charge to keep ... He took it seriously ... So serious that he would have ... You know, taken his life. Now before you condemn him or call him weak and a failure … Think about his charge (Acts 16:24) He was given and received a “charge”. So Ask yourself the question “how many people in our world really take what they do that serious?” Do you take your charge as sober as this? Family, Friendship ... Faith ... Yes, he knew the penalty of losing the prisoners ... To add to that, think of the shame, the doubt, the second guessing ... "why didn't I check on them ... Why didn't I see this coming?" Of course, in actuality, there was nothing he could have done about it ... Things fell apart ... They crumbled ... It all broke up ... He didn't know why ... But it happened on his watch! He began to hear the voices "You failure" "You couldn't even keep it together" "Where were you?" The voices got louder and even more brutal … “You are going to die anyway because the magistrates will see to it!! The sword was drawn from the sheath … ready to inflict the fatal blow … Then he heard a voice ... A different voice "hey, don't do it ... We're still here … all of us!”
Failure happens ... Sometimes on your best day things will fall apart. (Of course I’m not speaking of a rule that this must happen … but it can in some way.) You feel the pressure ... pain ... You're perplexed ... "what went wrong?" You're at the point ... That point ... Not physical suicide ... But spiritual suicide - you're about to "check out" ... check out of fellowship ... Your faith ... Your family ... What's the use! Then you hear a voice … another voice; different. "Don't do it ... We're still here for you!" “Yes things fell apart but as you have been here for us, we are here for you!”
Wouldn’t it be nice if leaders, preachers, even parents
heard those words from those they lead and serve? All too often when things fall
apart in our lives we seldom hear those words. That’s disturbing because just
as those words saved a man from making a serious, life-ending mistake, they can
help your leaders through difficult times in their lives or ministries. They
crumble ... It breaks up ... but remember God is moving for His purpose - you
can't see or understand it, but it's in His will.
The Truth Is that your words carry weight and power- as do
all of ours … Someone needs to be the voice that whispers ... Even shouts to
your leaders that "We are here ... All is well … or … It will get
better!" Be that voice today ... be a Hope Dealer ... Things fall apart...
TheCLUEfromLEU ®
2 comments:
I needed that, Bro!
Glad to help bro! We all have our times! Peace.
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