I have experienced first hand the type of leadership that discourages people from showing weakness and from being honest about their struggles. I have also experienced first hand the culture that creates superstar status of leaders. That really saddens me.
When did these people become any less human than you or I? When did they become the benchmark of success or wisdom? It seems some of them answer to no one and will not allow anyone to question their Authority or teachings.
This type of leadership is so opposite to the example of Christ.
I feel really sorry for Mike G. I certainly don't agree with what he did but the thing that I'm really sad about is how he managed to battle in secret for so many years.
What can be said for those leaders around him (those that are trying to manage the fallout and some that will distance themselves from his failings to protect their empires). Some of them will try to "manage" and control the fallout to reduce the extent of collateral damage. After all there's a lot at stake for some of these empires. These leaders have been alongside him for years. Did the culture prevent them from being honest with each other? Did the culture force them to push their weakness into the dark? Weren't any of them close enough to Mike that he could feel safe enough to share the pain and guilt he was carrying? Have they hid their own struggles away behind the position and power of leadership too?
What has church become if the culture makes it unsafe for people to fail?
There's lots of questions floating around in my head about this. Some of them I'll find answers to and some I may not but I think there's some good food for thought in all this.
We all have challenges and struggles on the journey and it's through relationship that we can find strength and freedom. Firstly relationship with the Father. As we grow to understand His unconditional love and acceptance (that's a journey in itself). An secondly through honest relationship with trusted friends.
I have been blessed to have a few trusted friends on my journey that I can be totally honest with and have found that the power of my own struggles and battles seems to decrease when I can share and offload them to someone I can trust. Strongholds breed in hiddenness and darkness and it's through bringing them into the light that their power is weakened, and the unconditional acceptance of those we can trust also relieves some of the guilt and pain we carry.
I hope that's a culture I can help to cultivate. It's one that we desperately need in christian community. We are all sinners saved by GRACE. Not by being superheroes. We are all very human and we have a loving Father that accepts and embraces us in that humanness, so there's no reason for us to judge those around us who are in the same boat.
Judgement of others is only about holding out a yardstick to them so we can measure how much better we are than they. Clambering over the top of them to reach a new level of piety.
I don't want to be that type of person. I want to be a person that can be a listening ear to someone who's struggling. To walk along side them. To allow the light of Christ to shine through my brokenness like a shaft of grace and acceptance. That's part of the Father's plan for us, using for good that which the enemy meant for evil.
Everyone needs that on their journey. If you are stumbling around in the darkness and despair of your weakness and battles, ask the Father to help you find a trusted friend that you can offload on to. There's no sense in struggling on your own. The initial shame will be washed away by the river of God's grace and love that can flow through honourable relationship.
Please don't struggle on by yourself.
Freedom is a journey and I'd be happy to walk alongside you on the road to your freedom too......
