Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday June 1, 2006

The news is running through the media and religious scandal gamut that an old friend of mine has been discovered to have perpetrated moral fraud since 1949 at least, up through a few weeks ago. I shall not rehash the abhorrent behavior, but you may rest assured it is reprehensible and falls beyond anything I would do. Any sins I have committed are understandable.

A man familiar with the mess asked, "Larry how does this affect you?"

Good question in that most everyone is involved in some sort of hero worship and the man in today's article was held in the highest esteem by a large segment of what could be called his group of believers. And therein lays the tragedy.

It is normal for babes in Christ to be devastated at the revealing of the gross sins by any definition of a leader, an example. But why do people who have walked with Jesus get so bent out of shape?

Could it be that we 'tune' our life to the icon? Do we like act adolescents idolizing a rock star? We exchange our 'icons' but we still are putting too much emphasis on flesh and blood and this practice will always let you down.

A.W. Tozer had a better, sensible and biblical idea when he wrote:

"Has it ever occurred to you that 100 pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So 100 hundred worshipers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possible be, were they to become "unity" conscious and turn their eyes away from god to strive for closer fellowship."

The biggest 'guru' will always be discovered to have feet of clay and many also have hearts of terrible evil, yet when I am tuned to Christ and Christ alone I shall not be moved.

As a pastor most of my now long life and one who has traveled in different circles, I learned early on to get in 'tune' with the great tuning fork, Jesus, and permit His vibrations to flow through my heart and life. When I have departed from this and drifted toward to the vibrations of dynamic leaders, I have without fail been disappointed and yes, on too many occasions I myself have been a disappointment. I say this with shame, but also thankfulness for the Lord's forgiveness.

Someone you admire in trouble? Help if you can, forgive were Christ forgives, turn your eyes afresh to Jesus and get on with your life, sans any bitterness.

Larry Lilly Copyright 2006 Use with credit.

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