Tag: moral compass

The Unethical Understudy

Neal Pollard

One wonders if perhaps Elisha saw Gehazi as being to him what Elisha was to Elijah, an heir-apparent to his own work. Indeed, Gehazi had been with him from at least since the miracle with the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:12), witnessing God’s providential care of the prophet, seeing Elisha raise the dead (4:32ff), and now the curing of Naaman’s leprosy (5:1-14). Gehazi had seen God’s power firsthand in incredible ways. He had to be aware of Elisha’s inclination to execute justice on the ungodly–from disrespectful lads to the rebellious Moabites. But Gehazi had some internal problems, moral weaknesses that would literally plague him. Notice 2 Kings 5:15-27.

First, he rationalized (20). Elisha had continuously shown his faith in God’s ability to provide. Naaman generously offers to give the prophet a handsome reward. Gehazi witnessed Elisha’s refuse to “take a present” from the army captain (16). Elisha was more focused on Naaman’s physical and spiritual cleansing. Rather than trusting God’s provision, Gehazi saw an opportunity for himself. He thought to himself, “As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him” (20). We get in a lot of trouble when we feed our desires for what we want and work to convince ourselves it is the right thing to do. Maybe Gehazi forgot about Achan (Josh. 7:20-21). Remember this warning: “Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts” (Prov. 21:2). In other words, we can find a way to justify any sin in our hearts, but God sees through it. So it was with Gehazi.

Second, he premeditated (21). He chases Naaman down. How often he rehearsed the story he was about to share, we don’t know. But even if he made up the story on the spot, it was in his heart before it was on his lips. Later, the prophet Isaiah would warn, “Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the Lord, And whose deeds are done in a dark place, And they say, “Who sees us?” or “Who knows us?” (29:15). Micah adds, “Woe to those who scheme iniquity, Who work out evil on their beds! When morning comes, they do it, For it is in the power of their hands” (2:1). 

Third, he lied (22). Up to this point, Gehazi’s sin was personal and internal. At any point, he could have reversed course with a penitent heart. He could have repented of his coveting. He could have stopped his pursuit. Instead, he catches up with Naaman, who asks him what’s wrong. Then, he audaciously tells this whopper: “My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes’” (22). He must have been very pleased when Naaman gave him even more than he asked for. Maybe, the rationalizing servant even convinced himself God was with him since things were turning out so well for him financially. 

Fourth, he covered up (24). After the deed was done and he was returning to his “day job,” Gehazi gives evidence that he knew he was dead wrong. He went to his house before returning to Elisha, and he dropped off his stash before nonchalantly “went in and stood before his master” (25a). 

Fifth, he lied again (25-26). Elisha does something we’ll see again in the case of Peter and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1ff). The prophet asked him where he had been and Gehazi lies to him. Lying is a cascading crime. Usually, it requires more lies to protect the previous ones. Unfortunately for Gehazi, Elisha already knew the truth. Would things have been less severe for the servant if he had come clean? We’ll never know. 

Ironically, a heathen obeyed God and was cleansed. Now, a servant of God disobeyed Him and was sullied with the stain of his sin. He found out what Moses once told Israel: “…you may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23). The leprosy of Naaman clung to him and would on his descendants forever (27). Thus ended the story of Gehazi, special servant of the mighty prophet. Thus began the story of Gehazi, the terminal leper. 

We live in an age where the moral compass of the world is broken. As we are in the world, we find ourselves tempted to abandon “true north.” It is so important for us to stay vigilant (1 Pet. 5:8), keeping our conscience sensitive (1 Pet. 3:16) and our motives pure (1 Chron. 28:9; 1 Th. 2:3).  The world needs examples of moral strength, in an age where rationalizing evil, plotting evil, and doing evil are commonplace. Honesty, integrity, unselfishness, humility, and the like are qualities the world will not find within. They will have to see it reflected in the lives of people whose ethics derive from God and His Word. 

Windburns

Saturday’s Column: Learning From Lehman

David Chang

When I was in high school, my main extracurricular activity was band—concert and marching. Concert band was a challenge from time to time, but it was marching band that really put everyone to the test. After all, there is a major physical aspect to the activity.

The summer between my sophomore and junior year was a particularly hot one in Oxford, MS. It was difficult. The hot sun was constantly beating down on us, and if the sun weren’t killing us the temperature was high enough to make our knees buckle. We were fatigued and mentally exhausted as the summer went on. 

One of those days was very windy and there were patches of clouds—a very welcome change. We didn’t think anything of it. Some of us didn’t even put on sunscreen that day because the sun wasn’t just constantly beating down on us. But on that day it wasn’t the sun nor the temperature that got us. It was something that we didn’t even think twice about. In fact, we thought it was a good thing. On that particular day many of the band got windburns after being outside for more than 6 hours. 

It shocked me just how quickly something that we thought was harmless or even helpful could be so damaging. Those strong and gusty wind that helped cool us off initially, when we were exposed to it for hours, turned out to be an even bigger problem than the sun itself.

——————

Whether it be 1 Peter 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8, or the pastoral epistles, the New Testament is ripe with the idea of staying sober and vigilant. But why? Why is it so necessary for us to stay awake and be aware? Most of us are spiritually upright and good people, in the sense that we have good moral compasses and have a relatively heightened conscience. We do not go out and actively commit crimes, hurt others, or drown ourselves with vices.

But what does still plague all of us, no matter where we are in life, are the seemingly small and insignificant things we ignore. Things that we may not even bat an eye when we do and behaviors that we may even think is helpful—it’s those “little” sins that gnaw away at the connective parts that keep our armor of faith together. 

As a termite eats away at a house hundreds of thousands of times its mass causing permanent and significant damages, there are these little things that go under our radar that—give it enough time—can completely break down what we have built in terms of our faith.

To those of us who are not Christians yet, it may be that thing that you keep doing in your life that you know deep inside that causes dysfunction and problems but you write off because it’s not as “big” as some of the other bad stuff that people do.

To those of us who are Christians it may be something a bit more secretive, those hidden sins that we do not address—letting it fester and rot from the inside.

You see, the things that get most of us aren’t the outright terrible and unforgivable crimes. It’s the small lies that we tell. The little things we try to keep from God. The secret sin that eat away at our relationships and our integrity.

What are those things to you? What red flags are you ignoring in your life? What are you justifying? What are you constantly engaging in that you think is helping but instead is killing you? Give it enough time, and even a tiny trickle of water can split rocks. Even a small breeze can burn your skin with enough exposure. 

The reality of sin is all the same. It is something we must all be vigilant and aware to actively prevent and avoid. 

The “Moral Compass” Of The Modern Culture

Neal Pollard

If a nation or people will move back toward the Bible, it must overcome three philosophical barriers.  I mentioned these in an earlier blog (read here).  Here are the three barriers:

  • The Cultural Sickness Of Subjectivity.  Subjectivism, in its final form, makes the individual “god” and their views supreme. Thoughts and feelings trump a rational look at an individual matter, and even searching for an objective viewpoint is disdained.
  • Society’s Warped View Of Tolerance.  Rather than “hate the sin, love the sinner,” the mantra is “there is no sin and no sinner.”  Though everyone has a line in the sand somewhere, no one wants anyone putting their behaviors on the other side of the line.
  • The Average Person’s Ignorance Of The Bible.  Of course, we are getting past the point where the average person believes the Bible or has a favorable view of it.  The fruit of the seeds of biblical illiteracy is more than immorality.  It includes prejudice against the Bible and contempt for those who seek to upheld it in most any forum.

Certainly, those professing to follow the Bible and its guidelines have hurt their own cause through ungodly attitudes, hypocrisy, isolation, and prejudices of their own.  Christians must be willing to make the first (and even second and third) steps (cf. Mat. 5:41).  We must model biblical teaching with righteous lives (Mat. 5:14-16; 1 Pet. 2:9).  We cannot expect the world to act Christlike, but we must expect that Christians will not be worldly.  We can effect the change we want to see, and, in time, align the culture’s moral compass with the Creator’s.

MERCY FOR THE MEADOW JUMPING MOUSE?

Neal Pollard

The meadow jumping mouse has made it to the status of “endangered” and is now protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act.  That means that cattle have more limited water and grazing access so that the mice’s habitat can be protected. Ranchers and cattlemen have taken the fight to U.S. District court in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The habitat area covers portions of New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado (The Denver Post, 9/10/14, A-2, “Colorado Roundup,” denverpost.com).  Meanwhile, a local politician is excoriated for his stand against abortion.  The web site “ontheissues.org” examines his record, where it is proven that he supported protecting life at all stages in 2010, voted to ban federal health coverage that included abortion, considers himself “pro-life,” prohibited federal funding for groups like Planned Parenthood, and the like. He is cast in commercials as an “anti-abortion radical” as well as one known for “his steadfast efforts to restrict women’s control over their lives” due to his “anti-abortion agenda.”

I sometimes wonder what would happen if time travel were possible and we could take such headlines back to our national forebears 100 years ago.  What would they think of federal mandates to protect rodents all while trumpeting protests in the loudest decibels possible against one in the place of government trying to take steps to afford protection for eternal beings made in the image of God.  Of course, if we could travel back further in time and cross the ocean until we reached the ancient middle east and showed these headlines to a prophet, apostle, or the Lord Himself, what would their reaction be?  Might they respond, “I was known by God from my mother’s womb, sanctified and ordained by Him for a specific job.” Or say of himself, “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.” Or describe pregnant women as being with “child” (rather than “fetus” or “tissue”)? Or speak of Jesus’ mother as having Him within her, a child, a person?

Everyone has a moral compass.  It is incredible to see how improperly calibrated many such compasses are.  In Resolute Bay, up in the Nunavut territory of Canada, a pilot attempting to land amid clouds crashed his plane, killing himself, his co-pilot, and ten passengers, in part due to a malfunctioning compass.  He could not believe it was true until ground sensors warned him of imminent contact with land.  His co-pilot seemed to have known better and pleaded with him to “go around,” to climb to safer altitude before retrying the landing.  The last words on record belonged to the pilot, who said, “Go-around thrust!” a split second before the crash (www.edmontonsun.com, Daniel Proussalidis, 3/25/14).  He hardly had time to think that he was misguided before his life ended.

Many will find out only too late their moral compass misguided their course in life!  Our work is to gently help them see the direction God tells them to go.  Only when their hearts, consciences, and affections are aligned with THE moral compass of the Bible will they be able to look at matters, big and small, and make rational, common sense decisions.  May God continue His forbearance with us as we try to repair the compass.