Friday, November 22, 2013
You Better Be
Ron Edmundson:
If we are worried about honesty in these areas, I would be more worried about self-deception. Too often when we face the kinds of situations this deals with, we tend to tell OURSELVES something is "OK" when it is not. It is one thing to save the confrontation for the appropriate time, or to allow someone to act in a fashion that will not do lasting harm but that will teach them about leadership better than words ever could. It is another thing to pretend like what is going on is a the right thing. Too often we convince ourselves it is rather than learn to live with the decision.
How often do we do that with our own sin?
Now there is an honesty problem.
honesty ministry
One of the most powerful books I’ve read for pastors lately is the book “Replenish: Leading from a Healthy Soul” by Lance Witt. I highly recommend it for any leader, but especially for pastors.Frankly, I am not sure it is that sobering, nor is it really about honesty. Let me lay a few examples on you:
In Chapter 38, Witt gives some questions for leaders to self-assess whether we are leading in honesty or leading in fear. It’s a sobering assessment.
How often have I seen someone about to make a bad decision and said nothing?There is a time to confront and a time to let things go. Politeness is its own form of ministry. These things can be as much about sensitivity as they can be about honesty. Only one of the questions strikes me as really about honesty, "How often have I seen something that isn’t right but didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to cause trouble." It is part of being an honest Christian to confront real wrongness. Not organizational wrongness, but moral wrongness.
How often have I found myself saying things I don’t believe just to be polite (or popular)?
If we are worried about honesty in these areas, I would be more worried about self-deception. Too often when we face the kinds of situations this deals with, we tend to tell OURSELVES something is "OK" when it is not. It is one thing to save the confrontation for the appropriate time, or to allow someone to act in a fashion that will not do lasting harm but that will teach them about leadership better than words ever could. It is another thing to pretend like what is going on is a the right thing. Too often we convince ourselves it is rather than learn to live with the decision.
How often do we do that with our own sin?
Now there is an honesty problem.
honesty ministry
