Manipulation
I believe, listening to the news, depressing as it can be, is something that we should do as Christians in order to “be watchful”. Yesterday morning, one of the shows I listen to, had an interview with a Republican Congressman or Senator. I don’t’ remember which. He spoke of the current battle between Republicans over how to handle the various issues, Immigration, Obamacare, the budget. The difference, he said was in their tactics. One group, those that seem to be less conservative say they are voting for things that they don’t like because they have a “strategy”. While the more conservative leaning reps don’t want to bend. They would rather act in a straight forward manner and fight for every line. On the surface of it, when presented the way it was, both views seem to have some merit. On the surface of it...
Strategy. It is a real nice way of saying they are trying to manipulate. Manipulate both other leaders as well as the voters. They give a little to appear one way, so that they can get support for oigger things. I am sorry, but manipulation is just plain ungodly. “Really?! Come on! It is just the way the game is played.” True enough. But as a Christian. Are we really here to play games?
When God got mad at Israel (which He did…a lot) it was almost always due to the nation trusting in something else, particularly idols. Now to our “western modern mindset”, idol worship seems ridiculous. Well, because it is. But even so, why the people of Israel went to idols is something we should consider…seriously.
So, why would any Israelite man or woman, even one living so long ago, want to bow down to a “god” that is represented by some statue made of wood or stone? Why would they even consider it, when they had such wonderful history (yes, history, not stories, but history) of THE God stepping into their lives as He did. Some of these people, including the wise Solomon, had even experienced God earlier in their own lives, yet, still bowed to a useless object of stone. WHY WHY WHY?
These Israelites, who were not so different from us, would, of course, go to God first. God was after all, the GOD of Israel. Yet, God, who does not change, did not often answer right away. Sometimes He didn't answer at all… So, what to do. “Hummm, it doesn’t appear that God will give me what I want, what I NEED. So…hummmm. Oh, look at that little stone god!”
Why would going to a little g next to the big G seem tempting at all? Well, God CANNOT be manipulated. Sorry, if you read the bible at all, you can clearly see this. The big G does not take kindly to a puny human working his wiles to get what he wants. No, God seriously laughs and that. Sometimes, just before He dishes out some punishment. Oh, but with these little g’s… “So, all I have to do is sacrifice a goat, chant ‘Gimme, gimme, gimme’, turn around three times and then the stone fish god will act on my behalf?... sweet!” Think about it, do some simple action and I can get what I want. Yea, pretty stupid. Yet, people do it all the time…in our modern western mindset. They even do it to the very real God, the Great I AM. This is totally clueless and arrogant.
Manipulation, works or effort to change reality in order to better fit our “needs”. Oh, I am not saying we should not work to change our circumstances, of course we should. But to do so outside the clear boundaries of God’s rule, is idol worship, plain and simple.
I have seen it often in many churches over the years. “Strategies to either change leadership, alter the direction of a church body or even to “win” souls. Tricky tactics to manipulate others, rather than to act in a straight forward manor and then trust God to do as we ask…if that is HIS will.
During our first Church Plant effort in Manchester NH, we ran into an internal squabble. My team wanted to start a Sunday service. Under the current rules, put in place by our Church leadership (those that had sent me and my team to do this thing), before we could have a Sunday service, we needed to have 3 home groups, a worship leader and small Sunday school staff. These were not bad things, but my team did not agree. Frankly, neither did I. I, like them, was traveling over an hour to get to the sending church each Sunday. It would have been really nice to meet locally, even being such a small a group. So I went to my leadership and asked if we could start a Sunday service, even though the current plan opposed it. He said no.
It was not what I or my team wanted to hear. The “rule” was not a legal matter, nor was it a biblical matter… other than the pesky “obey your leaders” thing. I had two choices here. I could have disobeyed my leadership. This would have resulted in us being removed from our affiliation with the sending church and created a lot of hurt feelings. Or I could have just asked God to change my pastor’s mind. I chose the latter. But God, didn't do that. My leadership held to their decision.
What does that tell you? To many, with that wonderful modern western mindset, their strategy would be to manipulate the reality. Doesn’t God wants more churches after all? Not disobedient ones! He has enough of those already. I chose to trust God. However, most of my “team” didn't They wanted to pick another leader. They chose to manipulate the reality…without Martha and myself. When I found out, my leadership shut the whole thing down. That was the end of our first church plant and the death of a dream for me.
I tell this story as it was close to home for me. But we have all heard of Church splits, pastoral removals and many other terrible actions done by “Christians” who don’t want to trust God, but would rather manipulate the circumstances to fit their desires. “Treat others, the way you want to be treated.” This is the defining trait between what Jesus called, Sheep and Goats.
Don’t like your circumstances? Currently, I don’t like my job situation. Part of the reason is that my resume looks terrible. I have 8 layoffs with half of them being over a year. I could, of course, lie on my resume. Who would know? No one checks that stuff anymore. God would know. He does not like lies. God does not need a good resume to get me a job. He has already proven that to me. He could, if he wanted, even make me president of the US tomorrow. (Yes, I know, many of you would be thrilled with that – seriously. I would be happy if he made one of my idiot dogs president tomorrow…but I digress.)
Look, God is in control. If you don’t really believe that, you need to spend more time in the book. We all want something, whether a better job, better finances or better health. Our only real option when our efforts (within Godly boundaries) are not working, is to ask God. If he says no, or does not answer, He is not opening up a door for disobedience. Do not be deceived, if you do, you will be judged.
This simple truth applies to every area of our lives. Is your spouse annoying? Are your kids walking away from God? Are you being passed over at work or ministry? Do you want more help in your work for God? Every one of these “problems” can be only resolved by both speaking truth and prayer. To twist truth, drop hints, leave clues or apply pressure through others is all the same thing…idol worship. You are trusting in your conniving, gossiping, subtlety, and manipulation. Sneaky may be legal, but it is not Godly. Ask yourself, does God work that way or does His enemy?
Do not forget. It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing. God wants YOU to trust Him. Do you?