When Leaders Fail
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 07/09/2007 at 7:31 PM
In "The Antidote for Darkness," Sally Morgenthaler discusses what our response should be to our own sinful failures as well as the failures of admired leaders or friends. She recounts the reaction of a young woman who sat in one of her classes:
Her tears came slowly. They’d been held close under the lids, but 20 minutes into the hour, they could no longer contain what had collected there. I showed a clip from Seabiscuit…the part where an injured racehorse was about to be put down, and a stable hand yells, “Stop. I’ll save you the bullet. I’ll take him.” Cut to the scene when a horse buyer (played by Jeff Bridges) asks the stable hand if the horse will ever race again. “No, not that one.” The horse buyer is silent, unable to take in the meaning. Then he asks the obvious. “Why? Why are you bothering with him then?” The stable hand responds, “Because I can. Just because someone’s banged up a bit doesn’t mean he isn’t worth anything.”
Some of the most painful moments of my life have come when the devastating sin of someone I admired—a pastor, a professor, a friend—has been revealed. You reel for a moment, trying to reconcile all the spiritual insight you have gained from this person with their present state of failure. It hurts. Of course there is a sense of betrayal, but probably it hurts the most because it makes you more keenly aware of your own sin and propensity to fail. You think, If that person failed, what is the hope for me?
The hope is Jesus Christ and the victory He promises. Living under Christ's control and not becoming entangled in sin is possible. Still, in this world, we all experience moments of failure—some more devastating than others. I found Morgenthaler's observations comforting. Speaking of the same class, she writes:
We had been affirming to each other how important truth telling is, more important than saving a “career” or saving a congregation’s squeaky-clean image. But, then I said truth must always come in the context of grace extended in tangible ways (read, an intentional healing process that usually requires much time and sacrifice). I explained that truth and mercy were the two inseparable antidotes to darkness. Then, the light of hope dawned on her face.
Hope. In the midst of disillusionment, there is always hope. It comes in the form of the truth God tells us about our sinful tendencies and the grace He offers through the all-sufficient sacrifice of His Son. Let us take the antidote ourselves and offer it to those around us.
1. Sara said the following at 8:44 PM on Jul 9:
The 'question-everything' atmosphere that's everywhere these days, especially on campus, is scary; but still it gives me great hope that we've come to the point that we can openly observe and discuss "when leaders fail", be it political leaders (no more "divine right" of kings!), religious leaders, our parents, our teachers...
2. Joseph said the following at 10:10 PM on Jul 9:
I find it especially unique and sad how brutal a church can be towards its leaders when they fail. There is a certain stigma that when a leader falls it must be covered up and hushed away instead of letting God's grace be seen and used to better the community affected.
3. v@v said the following at 9:19 AM on Jul 10:
I remember King David -- I mean, if any leader fell, it was the man after God's very heart. Yes, he faced consequences and couldn't build the temple, but he repented, God responded and to this day when we think of a lover of God, a worshipper, a mighty man -- we see David.
4. Holly said the following at 10:57 AM on Jul 10:
This recently happened in my church. A minister (not the senior pastor) was removed for undisclosed reasons, but the impression was a pornography addiction. Each of us has failings, but those in full-time ministry are in a fishbowl where everyone sees theirs. The lack of freedom to fail without condemnation that those in full-time ministry make is a genuine sacrifice. I am grateful for those who make it in the name of doing their best to provide Godly leadership. This is a terrific post that has brought me much encouragement...thank you.
5. Brad said the following at 8:12 PM on Jul 10:
When we place our perceptions of how good folks are up so high that they or our perceptions of them become sort of an idol, it is then that we are setting ourselves up for a painful grounding in reality. All have fallen and come short of the glory of God. When someone I admired, revered revealed the presence of sin in her life my reaction to it was sin. But my previous inability to ever imagine this or any really big sin overtaking the other person, derailing for her the life I imagined her pursuing--that too was sin in the way that I had somehow carved out and exception and exempted this individual from being seduced away by Satan's temptations
Forgive the intentional vagueness.
6. TINA said the following at 8:41 PM on Feb 4:
This is why it is so important not to judge others,sometimes the very thing you judge them on you become.
Pastors our humans they fall like we do.That's why you need a healthy balance in life,its not the man on the pulpit we are suppose to worship.
God gives all men a chance to redeem their sin,if you take to long he will expose you.Then you not only have to deal with it in a public way,you are at a cross road to make a choice.The hardest part is excepting Gods redemption.Not impossible though,Just takes time.
If the person really belongs to God,he goes and sins no more.(In that arena anyway) we all have to die of are flesh daily.You will know them by their fruit.