I was reading another blog (I'm not going to name it) the other day and couldn't resist commenting. I generally try to not go to other people's blogs just to disagree with them (if there's an ongoing debate, I will participate - but I don't want to just be disagreeable).
But...this just kind of upset me (due to a couple of other things that have come up in my (real) life.
(Questions do follow the main post, but here they are now)
1) Do stupid choices in your past exclude you from a ministry today?
2) Can some stupid choices in your past actually equip you for a ministry today?
3) (for some of us) Can our lack of (certain) stupid choices keep us from getting close to those who made those certain stupid choices?
4) Can our attitude toward those who did make those choices impair our credibility to others who made the same stupid choices?
The short story is that a Christian radio host had an ex-prostitute and porn "actress" on for an interview and the host asked a lot of "what was it like" questions.
The blogger lamented that she just didn't understand how a person could take a Christian heritage and throw it away. (I listened to the radio interview and although the guest said that she had been brought up in a Christian home, she also said that she had been sexually abused at age 9, that she had dressed up as a playboy bunny at - and her mom thought it was "cute" and took photos; at age 8 her parents "drifted away" from God and she was not close to her parents or encouraged to be close to God. As a teenager she was rebellious and at 18 she was asked to leave home.)
The blogger further stated that she is "sick and tired" of testimonies of those who were "just plain stupid and disobedient towards God". She ended the post with "Who says that one has to go through such trauma to be used of God in order to glorify God’s healing and love."
In the comments (replying to me) she said, "She deserves her STD’s. She deserves the hardships of single parenthood and she deserves every other thing that comes with her stupid choices, and to say that God is happy with her stupid choices and chooses to use her now for a ministry is insane."
The attitude bothered me. Yes, what the woman did was sin. Yes, a Christian upbringing is a gift (although one could question if that was what this guest had). No, you do not have to be a prostitute in order to have a ministry to prostitutes. I get all that.
But the attitude. I have this vision of an "I lived a better life than you" club. We see it all the time. In my co-worker who doesn't want single women to hang out with married couples. The church who doesn't allow divorced people in. The "group" that excludes single moms.
That last sentence in particular. I can say that God is very unhappy with her stupid choices, yet still believe that He could choose to use her now for a ministry. Stupid choices in your past should not exclude you from ministry today.
Even though my past hardships were not choices that I made (miscarriages, a marriage with rough spots, early widowhood, etc.) I can easily minister to people who have those things going on in their lives right now.
- Can a person who made stupid mistakes minister to others who have made the same mistakes?
- Do stupid choices in your past exclude you from a ministry today?
- Can some stupid choices in your past actually equip you for a ministry today?
- (for some of us) Can our lack of (certain) stupid choices keep us from getting close to those who made those certain stupid choices?
- Can our attitude toward those who did make those choices impair our credibility to others who made the same stupid choices?
Gina
Is she for real? Just look at the kind of people God used in the bible? David committed adultery, had a child out of wedlock, and schemed to have the husband of his lover killed in battle. Paul was a former persecutor of Christians, Noah was found naked and drunk in a tent by his sons... Not to mention Rahab...
No, a person doesn't have to have been through bad times to be equipped to minister to others. But, God can certainly use that experience and turn it around and make something good come out of it.
I have made some horrible choices in my past before I was a Christian. Some things that happened to me were a direct result of those choices and I was also hurt indirectly through them in ways that I didn't choose or plan. But, despite all that, I know that today I am better for having experienced what its like to hit the bottom so that I could appreciate the grace of God and understand my complete and total dependance on him.
The blogger further stated that she is "sick and tired" of testimonies of those who were "just plain stupid and disobedient towards God".
Does this sound much like faith expressing itself through love to you?
Ellen
There were two passages that came to me.
The pharisee that said, "Thank God I am not like him (the publican) and the publican that said, "God have mercy on me, a sinner"
The other was the prostitute (like the woman on the radio) who washed Jesus' feet with her tears. The pharisee was horrified that Jesus would even let her touch him. Jesus said, "he who has been forgiven little, loves little. He who has been forgiven much, loves much."
Jim
Ellen, I especially like the part of the quote you have that reads ... and to say that God is happy with her stupid choices and chooses to use her now for a ministry is insane.
Absolutely. Dead smack on. It's insane.
The only problem for the author of that statement is, it's also the gospel. An offense to the Jews, foolishness to the Greeks.. hm.
I know it will sound pompous, and it's not meant that way, but you encountered someone who simply hasn't sinned enough. Or maybe, to put it another way, they haven't yet come to understand the depth of their sin. Let's pray that, when this person does come to that point, they find themselves with people who understand grace, forgiveness, and the parable of the crazy farmer.
MIlly
Good post.
I pray that my sins can help others. I enjoy working with the tweens and teens. I'm sure that I can honestly say I understand what you are going through on some issues. Those that I have never delt with I tell them honestly I haven't been there. I don't feel that we need to live it to help those who are. God does use our experiances to help others.
Ellen
Jim and Milly, Hi!
I thought of the prodigal son - we're all prodigals in some way.
crickl's nest
I see the others had the same reaction I did. The Bible is full of stories of people who were just plain stupid and disobedient toward God.....*ahem* the Israelites come to mind! lol God continually shows His love toward us when we don't deserve it...
Thankfully He doesn't give us what we deserve...He gives us what we don't deserve.....salvation, ministering gifts, His Spirit living in us!
In fact, it was the Pharisees with their attitude of being better than other people who caught Jesus' wrath!
Good post....I wish we could all see each other that way God sees us. =)
Christie
Ellen
Hi, Christie!
I'm working on it!
I remember a long time ago when I was struggling with some things that my sister did. Our pastor gave a sermon about the parable of the prodigal son, only focused in on the older brother.
I realized, "oh my goodness! I am the older son!" It was a lightbulb moment for me.
😉