Don't Placate the (tiny) crowd
Decibels don't dictate democracy—the noisiest aren't always the chorus.
Dr. Sam Chand says every church has 10% devils. Every time I've heard him say it in a large room, there are a lot of laughs. Maybe it's funny because it's true. It's not just true of churches either; if you're a teacher, I imagine there are around 10% of your kids who take up 90% of your time. If you're a business owner, there are probably those customers that are never happy and seem to be a drag on your entire business. A few rotten apples can spoil the whole bunch.
I think what tends to be hardest about it is that 10% tends to be loudest. For Jesus it was Judas and Peter. Judas was the first one to speak up anytime they were going to use the money in a way he didn't agree with. Peter was the one just as likely to say something great as he was to put his foot in his mouth. The hardest to listen to is not the 10% that are yelling, but those 90% who can't seem to get a word in. Sadly, it's that 90% that we probably most need to hear.
I don't know if you increase the numbers if the percentage goes down, but I do know it's often the wrong voice that is the loudest.
I was reading again a story I've read so many times and was shocked by how quickly a few loud voices can lead millions astray.
While Moses was on the mountain receiving instructions about the proper way to worship the LORD, his brother Aaron was bending to the will crafting an idol for them to worship.
Aaron was Moses' mouthpiece before Pharaoh, holding a front-row seat to God's wonders on display against the gods of Egypt. Aaron crossed the sea on dry land and watched Pharaoh's army be swept away. Aaron had tasted the manna God provided every morning and the quail when they wanted meat. Yet Moses comes down the mountain to find Aaron overwhelmed by the people he was called to lead.
“What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?” “Do not be enraged, my Lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil. They told me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!’ So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, let him take it off,’ and they gave it to me. And when I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!” Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a laughingstock to their enemies. So Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites gathered around him. He told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each of you men is to fasten his sword to his side, go back and forth through the camp from gate to gate, and slay his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’” The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people fell dead. Exodus 32:21-28 BSB
Ok, let's ignore the obvious lie of "out came this calf" and skip to the part that will often throw people off the most. Moses told the Levites to strike down their own people, and about 3,000 people of Israel were killed. I'm not here to debate the ethics of this; there is a different standard of how God deals with sin the closer you are to His holiness. Like someone getting closer and closer to the sun, it's both more glorious and more dangerous the closer you get.
What I am trying to highlight is that it was only 3,000 people. That's a lot, for sure. But considering most scholars believe the nation of Israel was about 2.4 million people at this time, it wasn't even 10%, or 1%, but 0.125% of the whole.
Moses' concern was how to make the whole nation holy; Aaron was concerned with trying to keep a few people happy. As Aaron placated a few people, he brought God's wrath on all the people. Aaron was supposed to be part of the team leading Israel away from Egyptian captivity, but his desire to appease a few loud people led Israel back to worship the gods they were supposed to be free from.
When leaders lead to appease, we end up following the voice we’re most afraid of. We will compromise, placate, and lead many astray, ignoring the needs of all for the loud mouths of a few. It's a dangerous place to be, and it's an easy swamp to find yourself stuck in.
What was the remedy? A sword. In the New Testament we know the sword is the word of God. The job of pastors and leaders is to stand and boldly proclaim the word of God and allow the word of God to pierce hearts and slay the wicked, that all might be saved.
When pastors and leaders don’t proclaim the truth of God because of their fear of the people, they end up leading their people back to worship the gods they were supposed to be free from.
When leaders ignore the truth for the complaining of a few, we risk losing the whole thing.
There are people who are looking for someone to proclaim the truth and rally around. I know this because when Moses said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me,” all the Levites gathered around him. The Levites represented the majority yet didn't get credited with one word in the story.
Are you a leader? Be encouraged; there are more people with you than against you.
Are you a disciple maker? Be encouraged: the truth is powerful and effective, piercing between joint and marrow, dividing soul and spirit; it slays the wicked so that they can be renewed by Christ.
Are you a disciple, a follower? Don't be silent: stand for truth, loudly celebrate what is good, speak out against unrighteousness.
Are you a Levite? Well, obviously not, but are you a man who loves Jesus and wants to lead others to him? Boldly defend and proclaim the truth, rally around leaders who do, be quick to take a stand, and let "the sword" do the work.
Dr. Sam Chand says every church has 10% devils. Every time I've heard him say it in a large room, there are a lot of laughs. Maybe it's funny because it's true. It's not just true of churches either; if you're a teacher, I imagine there are around 10% of your kids who take up 90% of your time. If you're a business owner, there are probably those customers that are never happy and seem to be a drag on your entire business. A few rotten apples can spoil the whole bunch.
I think what tends to be hardest about it is that 10% tends to be loudest. For Jesus it was Judas and Peter. Judas was the first one to speak up anytime they were going to use the money in a way he didn't agree with. Peter was the one just as likely to say something great as he was to put his foot in his mouth. The hardest to listen to is not the 10% that are yelling, but those 90% who can't seem to get a word in. Sadly, it's that 90% that we probably most need to hear.
I don't know if you increase the numbers if the percentage goes down, but I do know it's often the wrong voice that is the loudest.
I was reading again a story I've read so many times and was shocked by how quickly a few loud voices can lead millions astray.
While Moses was on the mountain receiving instructions about the proper way to worship the LORD, his brother Aaron was bending to the will crafting an idol for them to worship.
Aaron was Moses' mouthpiece before Pharaoh, holding a front-row seat to God's wonders on display against the gods of Egypt. Aaron crossed the sea on dry land and watched Pharaoh's army be swept away. Aaron had tasted the manna God provided every morning and the quail when they wanted meat. Yet Moses comes down the mountain to find Aaron overwhelmed by the people he was called to lead.
“What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?” “Do not be enraged, my Lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil. They told me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!’ So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, let him take it off,’ and they gave it to me. And when I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!” Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a laughingstock to their enemies. So Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites gathered around him. He told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each of you men is to fasten his sword to his side, go back and forth through the camp from gate to gate, and slay his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’” The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people fell dead. Exodus 32:21-28 BSB
Ok, let's ignore the obvious lie of "out came this calf" and skip to the part that will often throw people off the most. Moses told the Levites to strike down their own people, and about 3,000 people of Israel were killed. I'm not here to debate the ethics of this; there is a different standard of how God deals with sin the closer you are to His holiness. Like someone getting closer and closer to the sun, it's both more glorious and more dangerous the closer you get.
What I am trying to highlight is that it was only 3,000 people. That's a lot, for sure. But considering most scholars believe the nation of Israel was about 2.4 million people at this time, it wasn't even 10%, or 1%, but 0.125% of the whole.
Moses' concern was how to make the whole nation holy; Aaron was concerned with trying to keep a few people happy. As Aaron placated a few people, he brought God's wrath on all the people. Aaron was supposed to be part of the team leading Israel away from Egyptian captivity, but his desire to appease a few loud people led Israel back to worship the gods they were supposed to be free from.
When leaders lead to appease, we end up following the voice we’re most afraid of. We will compromise, placate, and lead many astray, ignoring the needs of all for the loud mouths of a few. It's a dangerous place to be, and it's an easy swamp to find yourself stuck in.
What was the remedy? A sword. In the New Testament we know the sword is the word of God. The job of pastors and leaders is to stand and boldly proclaim the word of God and allow the word of God to pierce hearts and slay the wicked, that all might be saved.
When pastors and leaders don’t proclaim the truth of God because of their fear of the people, they end up leading their people back to worship the gods they were supposed to be free from.
When leaders ignore the truth for the complaining of a few, we risk losing the whole thing.
There are people who are looking for someone to proclaim the truth and rally around. I know this because when Moses said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me,” all the Levites gathered around him. The Levites represented the majority yet didn't get credited with one word in the story.
Are you a leader? Be encouraged; there are more people with you than against you.
Are you a disciple maker? Be encouraged: the truth is powerful and effective, piercing between joint and marrow, dividing soul and spirit; it slays the wicked so that they can be renewed by Christ.
Are you a disciple, a follower? Don't be silent: stand for truth, loudly celebrate what is good, speak out against unrighteousness.
Are you a Levite? Well, obviously not, but are you a man who loves Jesus and wants to lead others to him? Boldly defend and proclaim the truth, rally around leaders who do, be quick to take a stand, and let "the sword" do the work.
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