WHAT THEY CALL YOU CAN MEASURE YOUR EFFECTIVENESS
In Acts 24 the Jews came before Felix with a Lawyer named Tertullus. You know you are in for it when the opposition “lawyers up” It seems nothing much has changed since the first century about lawyers. The lawyer started out by flattering Felix and then slandered Paul. He called Paul some nasty names. He said he was a plague to society, a global terrorist (rioter among all Jews throughout the world), and a cult(sect) ringleader. I have been called allot of nasty things but that’s just down and dirty, fancy lawyer talk. Napoleon said, ” Any man that is good at flattery is equally good at slander. “I guess this lawyer proves the point.
Fellow pastor, the next time you feel slandered by that critical church member consider if you have ever been called a plague, a global terrorist, or a cult ringleader. You have to be making quite an impact on the world with the Gospel of Jesus to live up to those names. May we all preach the Gospel with such effectiveness that they will have to hire a lawyer to come up with names suitable for our impact on the world!
During the Civil War there was no greater example of friendship than between Generals Grant and Sherman. When Grant proposed a risky campaign to march from Tennessee to the coast of Georgia with an army which would break the back of the South. He trusted only one man, Sherman. Old friends from the Mexican war they often defended each others bad habits. Grant was prone to drink allot and Sherman was moody and had frequent depressions. When Sherman finished his campaign through the South where he had been blind and cut off from all supplies for months. He wrote Grant a letter. In the letter he said, ” No matter where I was I always knew two things, you were thinking of me and if I got in a tight spot you would come for me if you were alive.”
I am convinced that every church, organization, school, and corporation would be more successful if they cultivated this kind of loyalty toward one another. Our individualistic society has taught us that we cannot be dependent upon others or we look weak. We are supposed to suppress our feelings, needs, and even our desire for relationships with others because we must maintain our space. This is the reason many churches are torn apart. They are a loose group of individualist that will shoot their wounded at the first sign of weakness. Just remember one thing, when Jesus faced his greatest tight spot he called his disciples to come and pray with him. If you try to be an Island to yourself you will be washed away by the hurricane that will inevitably come.
How do I cultivate friendship?
1. Openess- let people in. you will need them
2. Willingness to take the risk of trusting others
3. Accept the scars and weaknesses of others, and let them see your weaknesses
4. Value Cooperation by understanding your limitations
5. Know that success alone comes from knowing others are there to pick you upif you fall.
