Pulling the Glutton Card
Occasionally, every pastor has to face the difficult challenge of correcting naughty church members. These issues often are sticky and fuzzy, and there's a good chance that there will be at least some measure of misunderstanding.
Often, a sympathetic friend who has heard "one side of the story", comes riding in on a white horse, with the the trump card: The Glutton Card.
"Well, if you're doing this, what are you going to do about the gluttons in the church??"
Now, I understand their point -- and of course, gluttony brings dishonor to the Lord. However, I have never seen a "gluttony scandal" tear up a church. (o.k. -- except the Corinth folks, but they had other moral issues -- and that's just the point I'm making.)
In the hundreds of counseling situations I've faced, I've never had a wife sob, "I'm suspecting my husband's a GLUTTON!"
Yes, I understand that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and we should honor God with them, but hard situations are never resolved by playing the "Glutton Card." It doesn't help matters at all, and only deflects the truth.
Playing hardball with such issues as adultery or drunkenness is difficult enough without having to stop and deal with little leaguers who hurl wiffleballs while hiding behind the gluttons.
Often, a sympathetic friend who has heard "one side of the story", comes riding in on a white horse, with the the trump card: The Glutton Card.
"Well, if you're doing this, what are you going to do about the gluttons in the church??"
Now, I understand their point -- and of course, gluttony brings dishonor to the Lord. However, I have never seen a "gluttony scandal" tear up a church. (o.k. -- except the Corinth folks, but they had other moral issues -- and that's just the point I'm making.)
In the hundreds of counseling situations I've faced, I've never had a wife sob, "I'm suspecting my husband's a GLUTTON!"
Yes, I understand that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and we should honor God with them, but hard situations are never resolved by playing the "Glutton Card." It doesn't help matters at all, and only deflects the truth.
Playing hardball with such issues as adultery or drunkenness is difficult enough without having to stop and deal with little leaguers who hurl wiffleballs while hiding behind the gluttons.
Gossip/liar scandals would tear apart a church quicker than gluttony. Hopefully the gluttons (and all others) do not overfeed on falsehoods.
ReplyDeleteWhy do we even have such a "problem" with church discipline?
ReplyDeleteBecause our society has taught everyone that they're always right...and the common and evil denominators are rationalization, excuses and blame shifting.
...and what percentage of any contemporary church congregation is truly saved in the illuminating light of scripture. It scares the hooie out of me every day how depraved and wicked my heart is.
"Working out my salvation one day at a time"!