There is an old 17th century saying that says "a fish rots from the head down". What that is suppose to mean is that the leadership of an organization is the root cause of problems within.
When a group makes a public statement that inflames people and causes undue conversation, arguments and unkind remarks flying back and forth - you have to wonder where the lack of wisdom came from. You know that an entire group would rarely make these kinds of statements and upon examination it usually comes down to one or two individuals at the top of the organization who took the liberty to speak for the entire group and ended up putting all their feet in their mouths. How do we allow this to happen? It is very easy - either we were not involved in the discussion in the first place or we chose to not be involved - and thus we are guilty by association.
When God first revealed Himself to people - their understanding was that their relationship was not a personal one but a group relationship. "I will be your God and you will be by people" (Jeremiah 31:33). So the idea was that when one sinned - all sinned. When one pleased God - all pleased. Eventually the relationship with God went from a corporal relationship to a personal relationship - fathers were no longer held responsible for their son's sins, nor was a community punished for what the few did. So today we are all captains of our own ships - we are all responsible for ourselves and our own lives. Although we may try to influence spouses, children, family and friends - in the end it is ourselves for whom we are accountable. When our fish stinks - we are the head and only we can be blamed for the offense.
Thinking before speaking - praying before thinking and submitting oneself to God's will should help all of us keep our boats afloat on the sea of life!
Deacon Dale
When a group makes a public statement that inflames people and causes undue conversation, arguments and unkind remarks flying back and forth - you have to wonder where the lack of wisdom came from. You know that an entire group would rarely make these kinds of statements and upon examination it usually comes down to one or two individuals at the top of the organization who took the liberty to speak for the entire group and ended up putting all their feet in their mouths. How do we allow this to happen? It is very easy - either we were not involved in the discussion in the first place or we chose to not be involved - and thus we are guilty by association.
When God first revealed Himself to people - their understanding was that their relationship was not a personal one but a group relationship. "I will be your God and you will be by people" (Jeremiah 31:33). So the idea was that when one sinned - all sinned. When one pleased God - all pleased. Eventually the relationship with God went from a corporal relationship to a personal relationship - fathers were no longer held responsible for their son's sins, nor was a community punished for what the few did. So today we are all captains of our own ships - we are all responsible for ourselves and our own lives. Although we may try to influence spouses, children, family and friends - in the end it is ourselves for whom we are accountable. When our fish stinks - we are the head and only we can be blamed for the offense.
Thinking before speaking - praying before thinking and submitting oneself to God's will should help all of us keep our boats afloat on the sea of life!
Deacon Dale
