Remembering Those Who Speak God's Word!

"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings." (Hebrews 13: 7-9 NIV)

People remember others for many things--the good and the bad--but when it comes to living a life that is pleasing to God and encourages others to desire to please Him, we are reminded to--remember those who speak God's Word.

However, we tend to remember those accused of immorality, corruptibility, and foolishness--we remember their deeds, and with the memory, most can never recall them ever serving our awesome wise God. So, why are we remembering them--constantly bringing them to the forefront our memories, but bringing them to light so others will also remember--all the bad stuff.

We are quick to remember those in leadership who did things that became a matter of public criticism--Clinton and Lewinsky, come to mind and then there are so many others that I cannot recall their names or what they did, but if someone reminded me, I'd probably remember. The issue for me is--and this is not a political statement--is that regardless of what people do, if they are not living a life that's pleasing to God or encouraging others to do so--why should we care?

We are living in an era in which access to information is immediate. And without taking the time to carefully dissect, analyze what we hear, we sometimes become the unwitting participate in the spreading of gossip and innuendo that irreparably harm others. We take allegations with no proof and spread them like an uncontrollable wildfire. We make people guilty of things they have never brought conviction upon them. And when some don't agree with an opinion of others--daring to not agree with them--we slice and dice, and resort to name-calling and personal attacks and then think we are superior to those we attack.

The only information that should concern us--the Gospel of Jesus Christ--and those who speak The Word--encouraging us to live a life pleasing to God and not just to beat us over the head with it. One of the most interesting things I've ever witnessed is for some (well-known) preachers to beat people over the head with The Word, criticize others for being caught up and exposed in sin, and then have their own sins exposed for all the world to see--after they have openly judged others for their wrong-doing. This is one of the reasons we are told to not judge others for their mistakes for we are all subject to failing in areas of our lives.

We should not openly condemn people for drinking and driving if we get up every Sunday morning, preaching the Word to others, but unable to do so, without a little help from a bottle. We should not openly condemn people for living in sin (any type of sin) if we're doing the same thing, but think we're hiding it from the world. One of the reasons many don't believe The Word is because they have only paid attention to the hypocrisy seen in those who proclaim The Gospel, but don't know how to live the life.

So we come to this passage of scripture--remember those leaders who speak the Word and live it before all. Are we the type of leader who speaks The Word and people will remember us for speaking it and living it? Or are we the type of leader people will remember for all our wrong-doing?

If we live a life according to The Word we speak--our lives indeed will be memorable--and people will share what they remember to the Glory of God when they think of us. They will remember The Word we live more than The Word we speak.

Here's a preview of what some of the notable preachers are doing and what some think of them (criticizing without proof), and my own thoughts about, preachers. myBook.to/Preachers I pray you'll enjoy and write a review.