The only constant in life is change.
– Heraclitus of Ephesus
Can you imagine being Abraham when God asked him to pick up his whole life (including his family, his businesses, etc.) and move to a foreign land? Talk about disruptive!
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
– Hebrews 11:8
Abraham is mentioned in Hebrews 11 because his faith was remarkable enough for it to be used as an illustration of how powerful faith can be in glorifying God through a single vessel in a single lifetime.
And without faith it is impossible to please him.
– Hebrews 11:6a
By faith Abraham obeyed God even though God hadn’t yet disclosed all the details of the journey that was set before him. For the record, traveling back in Abraham’s time was much more arduous than it is today. They didn’t have air-conditioned cars or moving companies who packed everything in labeled boxes for them. For Abraham, such a move would’ve been quite a trial and not just for him, but for his whole family and the rest of his entourage as well. He wasn’t even able to inform his family of where God was leading them. Imagine the raised eyebrows at dinnertime.
Noah would’ve been in a similar situation. He was asked to spend his time and resources on building an ark to float on water that didn’t exist yet! How do you think dinnertime conversation went for Noah during the hundred or so years it took him to build the ark?
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
– Hebrews 11:7
I like Noah’s example because when he was commanded to step out on faith, while likely mocked to no end by family and friends, he stayed the course and not just out of obedience to God, but also for the “saving of his household.”
A good leader always has others in mind, especially their family, whenever they contemplate changes that may disrupt their lives. As was the case with Noah, a good leader trusts the Lord’s plans are both better than their own and include what’s best for everyone affected by change.
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
– Hebrews 13:7-8
It’s critical that we follow those God has put over us. Without obedience there can be no unity. Repeat that last sentence to yourself as many times as it takes to sink in!
God’s children are called to obey their Father in Heaven, which drives unity in the faith. You cannot obey only when it’s convenient then stir up strife and sow disunity whenever you disagree with the leadership God has placed over you (all are there for a reason – ala Romans 13).
There will be times in our lives when we disagree with those in leadership positions. It is perfectly fine to respectfully disagree and make your issues known. However, God ultimately holds the leader responsible for the direction they take, not you. What God desires is unity, as illustrated by the shepherd-flock analogy throughout Holy Scripture. As Jesus once stated, “And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (Mark 3:25).
I dedicate this paragraph to you wives out there who think sowing persistent discord in your family because you disagree with your husband is a better option than submitting to him as per the command, “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord” (Colossians 3:18). Do the math. By undermining your husband, you are undermining the very unity of the divinely ordained institution of marriage which has been given to glorify God while reflecting the divine relationship between Christ and His Bride, the Church. Might it be more productive, overall, even if your husband makes a bad decision now and then (he is human after all), to seek peace and unity in the family? Have you ever thought that your show of obedience is your mode of leadership? Maybe the more potent question is, “Is a miserable family life what you really want?”
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
– Jeremiah 29:11-13
It’s not just wives who fail by sowing disunity in the family construct. It happens in church families, where sheep cause divisions in the flock because they disagree with the changes a pastor is making. It happens in work environments, where so-called Christians are mutinous because their manager is “a moron” in their opinion. It happens in every walk of life, where the human flesh baulks at God-given authority. The result is always the same – disunity, which can progress to the disintegration of divine institutions.
We have been given strict orders to obey our leaders, starting in the home, extending to our church families, and then out into the workplace, government, and so on.
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
– Ephesians 4:1-3
One last question for the especially stubborn reading this blog who may hold fast to what they believe is “justifiable” rebellion against leadership. Besides asserting your own will, what are you trying to accomplish? Unless someone is asking you to go against a direct command of God, your duty is obedience – end of story. In doing so, you are fulfilling God’s plan and resisting the temptation to disrupt the plans God has for others in your periphery. In other words, you mustn’t be so selfish all the time (Philippians 2:1-4).
So, you don’t like the direction your leader is taking things. Agreeing to disagree and moving on for the sake of unity may be one of the greatest contributions you can ever make to the Body of Christ, to God’s glory! It doesn’t mean you can’t voice your opinion; it just means that once you’re heard and the leader makes a decision, your best option is to lock shields with them and press on together! Again, consider the alternative and the inevitable misery that ensues. God promises to bless the prior alternative and curse the latter one.
Always remember that since God has ordained the leaders in your life, then He has a plan that includes your submission to them. There is real peace and reliable strength through submission to God’s will (and His delegates).
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
– Joshua 1:9
Don’t be afraid of change. Remember who has ordained it.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.
– Ecclesiastes 3:1
As I’ve experienced it, God will often shake things up in our lives if for no other reason than to destroy our complacency. It is darn easy to fall into a non-productive routine if we’re not careful (there’s always something on TV, isn’t there?). If you’re not going to lead yourself out of the doldrums, who do you think God might use on His behalf to “help” you if not the leaders He’s placed in your life??? You may not see it now, but once you get past your drama, with a little humility, chances are you’ll see what He was up to and thank Him for it!
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
– Colossians 3:12-15
In the sphere of God’s love all things work together for good (Romans 8:28). Place your trust in God’s choices. He chose your life, those who lead you, and all the changes along the way! Embrace your faith, obey God, and enjoy the unity in doing so. Do not resist change just because you’re not “ready” for it – God is, and that’s all that counts.
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
– Philippians 4:11-13
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins