05/22/26 BLIND LEADERS
Important thoughts for Christians (pastors and parishioners). You might find something helpful somewhere in this post. It might be worth the 2 to 3 minutes it takes to read it. It might even be a good discussion starter to share with other Christians.
SIX BLIND MEN AND AN ELEPHANT
An old "parable" from India illustrates the problem of analysis based on subjective observation. (I chose not to use the term "subjective truth.")
The "parable" refers to six blind men in India who heard that an elephant had been brought to their village, but since none of them had ever encountered an elephant, they decided to check it out together.
Each of the six men touched the elephant and then described what they had experienced. But they each touched a different part of the elephant (the tail, the leg, the side, the trunk, the ear, and the tusk). Each of their descriptions of an elephant differed (a rope, a tree, a wall, a snake, a fan, and a spear), giving a false analysis and description of an elephant.
This simple story applies to life in general, but it has a very definite application to Christian understanding.
Some people are so focused on one aspect of Biblical truth and salvific experience that they don't "see" other facets of truth.
People can be so focused on the Divine side of salvation that they ignore the human participation, such as faith, repentance, confession, obedience, and following, which are part of God's design.
People can be so focused on a particular doctrine that they do not understand the broader scope of God's salvation.
People can be so focused on their own experience (whether the experience is legitimate or not) that they do not experience the wide range of God's will, God's enlightenment, or God's grace.
People can be so focused on a cultural view of Christianity that they are blind to the Biblical revelation of salvation.
There are other problems as well, but this should indicate my concern.
In order to have a proper view of the word of God, we must have a wide variety of information, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.
In order to be in a right relationship with God, we need to have a clear and accurate comprehension of the Bible. Sadly, great numbers of people today are ever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth.
It is the appointed job, task, ministry, life of a pastor to know the truth and to convey the truth clearly. Pastors have been called and gifted to do the great work of shepherding, leading, feeding, correcting, teaching, protecting, and arming the people of God for the work of the ministry. But the pastor is responsible to follow fully, to spend the hours in prayer, study, counseling, teaching, preaching, equipping, encouraging, enlightening, unifying, reproving, and edifying the believers. The pastor/teacher needs to have a solid awareness of Scripture, theology and doctrine, history (world and Church), linguistics, current events, cultural differences, world religions, cultic beliefs and practices, and political agendas. All of these side issues are part of life and should be understood in the light of Christian faith and practice.
Here is one of the several passages that I have had as a ministry motto over the years.
Ecclesiastes 12:9-14
9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The Christian faith and experience is not a rope, a tree, a wall, a snake, a fan, or a spear. It is a total life reality, a reality beyond the natural, an eye-opening worldview, which is part of the Christian equipment list for living the Christian life and reaching the lost world around us.
