There is a fractured faith foolishness many of us see on a weekly basis. And like any glass bowl that cracks, the results splinter into many different paths. Let’s look at this for just a minute:
In American Theo-philosophy the egalitarian mindset has torn away thousands of years of truth and experience for the simple fact people don’t want to follow before they lead.
In our social media mindset of “My opinion is right though I have no experience and I am not willing to follow the current leadership,” (whatever venue we are talking about from space exploration to health to so much more), we have come to an insidious and destructive attitude that “everyone should “Get a vote.”
However, looking across time and seeing how God and His People (Our cousins in faith) handled life in general teaches a much different lesson. In one specific and instructive moment, Moses explains the purpose of elders (leaders of larger family clans).
In that moment we discover the bold truth: Someone has to be in charge of the clans or chaos ensues. And so, with so many immature and greedy people in the Wandering People of God: Israel, conflict resolution became a FULL TIME requirement.
In order to alleviate the situation (Exodus 18) Moses delegated key men to handle smaller matters and clear his daytime of the incessant arguments of the crying children of God so that He could stand before God and teach the the people of God: Israel what God wanted.
However, as time passed, those same men – the Designated Conflict Resolution Agents – began to think that they were AS IMPORTANT OR MORE SO than Moses, the Shepherd of the Flock, appointed by God. So they worked against him and even at one point, staged a revolt!
The Point Is Clear: STAY IN YOUR LANE!
Stop trying to run things.
– God appoints a shepherd over the flock.
– That shepherd hires others (hirelines, John 10, KJV) to assist.
– According to our King Jesus, assistants (hirelings) work for (μισθός / misthos, G3408, wages), not love and they flee at the sign of the wolf. A true shepherd earns the ultimate *misthos* by laying down life (v. 11, 17-18).
– Assistants don’t have the vision from God, the mission of God, the burdens of the people, and the hope of the Holy Spirit to drive them
– These assistants often and mistakenly think that the will of the majority – or the noisy – is the will of God. NOTHING COULD BE FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH!
In Moses’ situation and day the elders arrogance led to the deaths of AN ENTIRE GENERATION!
In our situation and day it is a hugely contributing factor to the deaths of 40 Local Congregations a day in the USA!
The Point Is Clear: STAY IN YOUR LANE!
