I promise you...no matter how pure your motives...no matter how effective your work...your leadership will be opposed sooner or later.
What are you going to do? QUIT?
Absolutely not!
Did Jesus quit? Remember in Mark 3:1-6 when Jesus determined to heal the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath? He first had to deal with the RELIGIOUS people (Pharisees) who were just "waiting" to try to trap Him.
Jesus tells the man with the withered hand to STAND UP! He tells him to stand up right in the middle of those vipers! (Religious spirits - cantankerous, rusty, crusty, dusty, musty attitudes)
Then Jesus looks the Pharisees in the eye and asks them "is it lawful to do good on the sabbath day, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?"
He then gets ANGRY and stares them down!
He looks back at the man with the withered hand and says "STRETCH FORTH THINE HAND!" and PRESTO - a miracle!
In verse 6, the Pharisees (like church people you've met before) went forth, and begin to look for ways (along with the Herodians - sidekicks AKA disgruntled) on how they might DESTROY Jesus.
Isn't that something? You're just trying to do a work for the Lord and HERE COMES AN ATTACK! I mean...it would almost be easier to accept the attack if it was coming from the outside...but within the church?
Ever been there? Sister Hoopindiddle looks over her glasses funny at you and all the sudden you shriek in fear of not pleasing her...Brother Hurricane gives you a whiff of his bad breath as he tries to "blow" your house in...
I was raised in ministry - I've seen the GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY (and that's just the people...smile). What I've come to realize is that few people are able to handle an attack that is unwarranted.
Pastor, leader, Christian worker...YOU WILL BE ATTACKED regardless of how good, effective or benevolent you are!
The attack will come in three ways:
- Intimidation
- Manipulation
- Domination
NO!!!!
Here's five ways you can face the attacker head on!
- Don't fight fire with fire! - if you express resistance it will increase their control.
- Figure out where the attack is coming from! - are you being attacked because of someone's insecurity, past hurt or ill feelings?
- Focus on the facts! - Don't go down rabbit trails...you'll get nowhere. Bring the conversation to the same page.
- Clean out your ears! - in other words...listen! Find a way to agree & affirm what they are saying by validating them.
- Find a better way! - is there an alternative solution? Give room for the Holy Spirit to bring a new way to see things.
Pastor Hylton