Matthew 7: 24-27 | Leadership: From the inside out

LEADERSHIP: FROM THE INSIDE OUT

MATTHEW 7:24-27

AUGUST 9, 2015

1. TOM LONG, IN HIS BOOK, TESTIMONY – TALKING OURSELVES INTO BEING CHRISTIAN, SHARES THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT:

IN THE COMEDY FILM, CRAZY PEOPLE, DUDLEY MOORE PLAYS THE PART OF EMORY LEESON, AN ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE WHO COMES UP ONE DAY WITH AN OUTRAGEOUS IDEA: TELLING THE TRUTH.

“LET’S FACE IT,” EMORY TELLS A CO-WORKER, “YOU AND I LIE FOR A LIVING.”

SO DARING TO BUCK THE TREND, EMORY BEGINS TO DRAFT COPY FOR RUTHLESSLY HONEST ADS. INSTEAD OF A THOUSAND SUBTLE DECEPTIONS ABOUT HOW SOME PRODUCT WILL MAKE PEOPLE HAPPIER, SEXIER, OR RICHER, HE SAYS THINGS LIKE:

“VOLVOS: THEY’RE BOXY, BUT THEY’RE SAFE” OR “UNITED AIRLINES: MOST OF OUR PASSENGERS GET THERE ALIVE.”

PREDICTABLY, EMORY’S UNCONVENTIONAL TACTICS GET HIM IN HOT WATER WITH HIS BOSS, AND WORSE, RAISE SUSPICIONS THAT HE HAS LOST TOUCH WITH REALITY. SO HE IS PACKED AWAY TO A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL TO RESTORE HIS “SANITY.”

BUT WHILE LOCKED UP, HIS AGENCY ACCIDENTALLY RELEASES HIS ADS TO THE PUBLIC AND THE RESULTS ARE ASTOUNDING. THE PUBLIC IS SO SHOCKED, AMAZED, AND DELIGHTED BY HEARING THE UNVARNISHED TRUTH FOR ONCE, SALES SKYROCKET.

A SILLY HOLLYWOOD MOVIE? YES, BUT CRAZY PEOPLE CONTAINS AT LEAST TWO GRAINS OF WISDOM NONETHELESS. THE FIRST IS OBVIOUS.

WE ALL HUNGER FOR THE TRUTH, AND WE LONG FOR A SOCIETY WHERE POLITICIANS, NEWSCASTERS, CAR DEALERS, MADISON AVENUE, EVEN PREACHER-HUCKSTERS TURN OFF THE SPIN AND THE LIES.

BUT THERE IS A SECOND BIT OF WISDOM IN CRAZY PEOPLE, THIS ONE LESS OBVIOUS.

WE OFTEN LAUGH OUTSIDE AT WHAT WORRIES US MOST INSIDE. THE MOVIE GETS A LOT OF LAUGHS BY POKING FUN AT THE WORLD OF ADVERTISING, WHERE PEOPLE LIE FOR A LIVING AND TRUTH-TELLING IS CONSIDERED INSANE, BUT THE AUDIENCE’S LAUGHTER MAY BE A DEFENSE MECHANISM.

IT IS HUMAN NATURE TO BE ANXIOUS ABOUT OUR CONSTANT SUSCEPTIBILITY TO LIES. NOT ONLY DO WE HUNGER FOR THE TRUTH, BUT WE ALSO NEED PEOPLE WHO WILL TELL US THE TRUTH;

IN FACT, WE NEED SUCH PEOPLE SO DESPERATELY THAT WE ARE VULNERABLE TO HALF-TRUTHS AND DECEPTIONS.

THAT IS TO SAY, WE WANT TO BELIEVE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE TELL US, EVEN WHEN OUR BEST INSTINCTS TELL US TO BE CAUTIOUS.

SO WE USE A MOVIE LIKE CRAZY PEOPLE TO REASSURE OURSELVES THAT UNDERNEATH IT ALL, WE ARE TOO SMART TO BE TAKEN IN BY LIES AND COME-ONS, AREN’T WE?

OTHERS MAY BE GULLIBLE, BUT NOT WE. WE ARE ON TO THEIR GAME, AND TOO SAVVY FOR THAT. WE KNOW BETTER. OR DO WE?

CONSUMER EXPERTS WARN US THAT CON ARTISTS AND FLIMFLAMS AND INTERNET SCAMS ABOUND, AND THE REASON THESE SCAMS REPEATEDLY WORK IS NOT THAT THE VICTIMS ARE STUPID BUT THAT THEY ARE HUMAN.

IT IS VERY HUMAN TO WANT TO BELIEVE, VERY HUMAN TO WANT TO TRUST THAT WORDS SPOKEN TO US ARE TRUE.

TO WANT TO HELP THAT RELATIVE WHO IS SUPPOSEDLY STUCK IN PARIS HAVING LOST THEIR CREDIT CARDS AND TRAVELERS CHECKS AND IN NEED OF MONEY TO BE WIRED TO THEM;

TO BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE HAS CAR TROUBLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NEEDS US TO STOP AND HELP THEM, ONLY TO BE ROBBED, OR WORSE;

TO BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE WILL BUY BIBLES FOR NEW CHRISTIAN CONVERTS IN AFRICA IF ONLY WE WILL SEND THEM OUR ACCOUNT INFORMATION;

TO BELIEVE THAT YOUR SPOUSE WILL STOP HITTING YOU THIS TIME, EVEN THOUGH THEY’VE SAID THE SAME THING DOZENS OF TIMES BEFORE.

JESUS WAS A TRUTH-TELLER. IN FACT, I CAN’T THINK OF A SINGLE TIME WHEN JESUS USED DECEPTION, LIES, OR TOLD AN UN-TRUTH, EVEN FOR THE SAKE OF THE GREATER GOOD.

I CANNOT FIND A SINGLE EXAMPLE OF HIM EVER TELLING A LIE ONLY TO LATER SAY, “JUST KIDDING.” NOWHERE DOES HE LIE SO AS TO EXTRACT HIMSELF FROM A DIFFICULT SITUATION. NEVER DOES HE FIB, EVEN A LITTLE, ONLY TO TAKE IT BACK LATER.

FOR JESUS IT WAS ONE’S INNER NATURE THAT DEFINED THEIR CHARACTER.

FOR HIM IT WAS THE STUFF THAT MADE UP A PERSON ON THE INSIDE THAT WOULD DETERMINE WHAT THEY’D DO ON THE OUTSIDE.

IT’S WHY HE SPOKE SO POSITIVELY ABOUT OUR “LOVING GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART, ALL OUR MIND, ALL OUR SOUL, AND ALL OUR STRENGTH.”

IT’S WHY HE SPOKE OF LOVING GOD, WITH THE NATURAL OUTCOME BEING: LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES.

IT IS WHY THE GOSPEL OF JOHN SAYS OF JESUS: “WHAT HAS COME INTO BEING IN HIM IS LIFE, AND THE LIFE IS THE LIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE. THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE DARKNESS DID NOT OVERCOME IT.”

AND WHY, LATER, IN THIS SAME GOSPEL, JESUS SAYS OF HIMSELF:

“I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE.”

AND ONCE MORE, WHY, IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, JESUS TELLS US: “YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A CITY BUILT ON A HILL CANNOT BE HID.

NO ONE AFTER LIGHTING A LAMP PUTS IT UNDER A BUSHEL BASKET, BUT ON A LAMP STAND, AND IT GIVES LIGHT TO ALL THE HOUSE.

IN THE SAME WAY, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE OTHERS, SO THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GIVE GLORY TO YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.”

DURING ONE OF THE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOLS WITH WHICH SOME OF OUR MEMBERS ASSISTED THIS SUMMER, ONE OF THE TEACHERS ASKED HER CLASS AT ONE POINT:

“WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOUR LIGHT GOES OUT?” TO WHICH ONE LITTLE BOY RESPONDED, “YOU BETTER PAY THAT LIGHT BILL!”

HE DOESN’T KNOW HOW RIGHT HE WAS.

WE HAVE TO KEEP RIGHT ON “PAYING THAT LIGHT BILL” BY TELLING THE TRUTH; BY LIVING THE TRUTH; BY SHARING THE TRUTH WITH OTHERS.

THIS IS ALSO WHY JESUS CORRECTED OUR THINKING ABOUT OUR SINS –

THAT THEY ARE NOT JUST THE THINGS WE DO, BUT ALSO THE THINGS WE THINK, AND THE THINGS WE FEEL, AND THE STUFF THAT’S GOING ON IN OUR HEADS, AND IN OUR HEARTS, WHETHER OR NOT WE EVER ACT ON ANY OF IT.

YOU SEE, JESUS UNDERSTOOD THE BASIC SCIENCE, THE BASIC ENGINEERING OF LIFE:

BUILD YOUR HOUSE – YOUR LIFE ON THE SAND AND IT’LL WASH AWAY IN THE FIRST STORM THAT COMES YOUR WAY;

BUILD YOUR HOUSE – YOUR LIFE – ON THE ROCK OF GOD’S PRINCIPLES – AND COME WHAT MAY, IT WILL NEVER FAIL OR FALL.

AND LET’S REMEMBER, SOME OF THOSE STORMS BLOW UP FROM WITHIN US, AND SOME COME TO US FROM OUTSIDE OURSELVES.

A MONTH OR SO AGO NOW THERE WAS AN ARTICLE BY WES GRANBERG-MICHAELSON ON A DUET OF DEMISE IN WHICH HE WROTE ABOUT TWO SEPARATE BUT SIMILAR STORIES IN THE NEWS CYCLE OF THAT WEEK.

ONE HAD TO DO WITH THE U. S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S INDICTMENT OF FIFA EXECUTIVES (THE INTERNATIONAL AGENCY THAT OVERSEES WORLD SOCCER) ULTIMATELY LEADING TO THE RESIGNATION OF FIFA’s CHAIRMAN SEPP BLATTER.

THE OTHER STORY THAT WEEK WAS ABOUT FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE DENNIS HASTERT’S GRAND JURY INDICTMENT FOR DIVERTING $1.7 MILLION TO A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO ALLEGEDLY WAS SEXUALLY ABUSED BY HASTERT WHEN HE WAS A WRESTLING COACH.

WHAT LINKS THESE TWO STORIES, AND SO MANY OTHERS LIKE THEM, THE AUTHOR WRITES, IS “THE FEAR OF TRANSPARENCY; OF HIDING THE TRUTH.

IT IS A THEOLOGICAL TRUTH THAT SIN HATES THE LIGHT, AND THRIVES WHEN IT IS HIDDEN.”

WHAT IS IT THAT JOHN 3:20 SAYS:

“EVERYONE WHO DOES EVIL HATES THE LIGHT, AND WILL NOT COME INTO THE LIGHT FOR FEAR THAT THEIR DEEDS WILL BE EXPOSED.”

“FIFA WAS HOUSED IN SWITZERLAND, IN PART, SO THAT ALL OF THE INTERNAL FINANCIAL DEALINGS COULD BE CLOSED TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY – THINK THE INFAMOUS SWISS BANK ACCOUNTS.

IN HASTERT’S CASE IT WAS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF “HUSH MONEY” PAID OUT TO KEEP THIS PART OF HIS LIFE SECRET.

NOW, TRANSPARENCY IS NOT JUST A POLITICALLY CORRECT SLOGAN. IT IS AN ETHICAL VALUE WITH THEOLOGICAL ROOTS.

BLIND TRUST DOESN’T WORK; PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THAT THE ACTIONS OF LEADERS ARE TRUSTWORTHY.”

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PROCESS IS ALREADY BEGUN, AND SOME MIGHT SAY, PREMATURELY, THRUST UPON US.

I’VE LOST TRACK, BUT BETWEEN THE TWO MAIN PARTIES I THINK THERE ARE SOMETHING LIKE 21 PEOPLE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW.

IMMEDIATELY THEY ARE JUDGED, AND CHARACTERIZED, BY WHERE THEY FALL ON THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM – HOW FAR TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, MODERATE, CENTRIST, POPULIST, ETC.

I’LL ADMIT I AM THE FIRST TO SEE HOW CLOSELY A CANDIDATE’S POLITICAL CONVICTIONS AND PHILOSOPHY MATCH MY OWN.

I AM ALSO TRYING TO STAY KEENLY AWARE OF WHAT IS TRUTH AND WHAT IS FICTION; WHAT IS FACTUAL AND WHAT HAS BEEN BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION FOR POLITICAL POINT-MAKING.

I AM ALSO, ALREADY, AS I KNEW I WOULD BE, DISCOURAGED BY THE FEAR-MONGERING, THE NAME-CALLING, THE FINGER-POINTING, THE LIE-TELLING, THE SCAPE-GOATING, AND THE BOOGEY-MAN LABELING OF OTHERS AS THOSE OF WHOM WE SHOULD BE SUSPICIOUS, FEARFUL, AND WORSE, AIMING TO RID OUR NATION OF IN ANY MANNER NECESSARY.

AS I SAY, I EXPECTED NOTHING DIFFERENT, AND IT’S ONLY JUST BEGUN.

BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT MATTERS, AND OF WHICH THE NEWS OF SEPP BLATTER AND FIFA AND OF DENNIS HASTERT SHOULD REMIND US:

AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS THE INNER QUALITIES OF A POTENTIAL LEADER – AND ESPECIALLY A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES – THAT CAN END UP HAVING HUGE EXTERNAL CONSEQUENCES.

WE CANNOT EXPECT THEM TO BE SAINTS; IN FACT, IT WOULD BE A START, IF THEY COULD AT LEAST RECOGNIZE THAT THEY ARE SINNERS.

WHILE AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE SEEM TO LOVE THE BLOW, BLUSTER, AND BRAGGADOCIO OF SOME CANDIDATES, PERSONALLY, IT’D BE A LOT MORE COMPELLING TO SEE A LITTLE HUMILITY AND INTROSPECTION FROM THEM.

YOU SEE, IT’S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT THOSE WHO RELY UPON SMOKE AND MIRRORS, WHO “PROTESTETH TOO MUCH,” AND WHO BELIEVE THEY MUST BELLOW OR MAKE OUTLANDISH STATEMENTS IN ORDER TO BE HEARD ARE USUALLY HIDING SOMETHING.

WHILE THOSE WHO LIVE MORE WELL-EXAMINED LIVES USUALLY HAVE DEALT WITH THEIR INNER DEMONS, AND ARE LIVING BY HABITS AND PRACTICES THAT BETTER SERVE THEIR DEEPER SELVES.

FROM SUCH LEADERS WE CAN EXPECT WISDOM, COURAGE, AND DISCERNMENT.

THEIR INTERNAL WORK CAN, AND DOES, EXTERNALLY AFFECT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE FOR THE GOOD.

HOWEVER, AS I AM OFTEN QUICK TO POINT OUT, “WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER;” WHAT IS TRUE FOR POLITICIANS, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, ACTORS, ATHLETES, PREACHERS, ETC. IS TRUE FOR US ALL.

WE’D DO WELL TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE NO SAINTS EITHER, BUT SINNERS.

WE’D DO WELL BY PRACTICING A LITTLE HUMILITY AND INTROSPECTION OURSELVES;

BY DEALING WITH OUR OWN INNER DEMONS, AND BY LIVING BY HABITS AND PRACTICES THAT SERVE OUR DEEPER SELVES AS WELL.

WE BETTER PAY THAT LIGHT BILL; WE BETTER LET OUR LIGHTS SO SHINE; WE BETTER BUILD OUR HOUSES – OUR LIVES ON ROCK IF WE WANT TO WEATHER THE STORMS OF LIFE –THOSE FROM WITHIN, AND THOSE FROM WITHOUT.

TELLING THE TRUTH IN EVERYDAY AFFAIRS MAY SEEM A SIMPLE AND OBVIOUS THING TO DO, BUT IT IS NOT. THE STAKES ARE HIGH.

LIES AND DECEPTION ARE NOT JUST THE RESULT OF MEDIA MANIPULATION OR POLITICAL MANEUVERING.

THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN DECEPTION AND TRUTH LIES DEEP IN THE HUMAN HEART AND HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME.

AS CHRISTIANS WE KNOW THAT LYING DID NOT START ON MADISON AVENUE OR ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE; IT BEGAN IN A GARDEN, FAR, FAR AWAY.

BUT IT IS EVERY BIT AS TRUE TODAY – AS IT WAS FOR ADAM AND EVE;

IN WHATEVER WAS IN THIS PAST WEEK’S NEWS CYCLE, AND WHATEVER WILL BE IN NEXT WEEK’S;

IN WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR INNER LIVES THAT NEVER SEES THE LIGHT OF DAY.

“EVERYONE WHO HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE,” JESUS SAYS, “AND ACTS UPON THEM WILL BE LIKE A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON ROCK.”