THE FLY IN THE OINTMENT: How the World Sees the Church's Flaws

Ecclesiastes 10: 1 "...So a little folly outweighs wisdom"

Our failures often make a bigger “splash” than our successes. People will often forget all the good a man has done and judge him based on the one mistake or failure in his life. Many contemporary men of God who have done great works and accomplished very significant things for God will be remembered primarily for the sin that was discovered in their lives. A man's folly is more entertaining to the public than his wisdom. His sins will be trumpeted much louder than his accomplishments, especially if they follow his accomplishments.

The enemy would take advantage of our sins and failures in order to produce shame and despair, and ultimately to make us quit. But we should humble ourselves before God, surrender to His discipline, and continue in faith and obedience. Our reputations, as well as our lives, are in His hands.

I support church discipline. Individuals cannot grow spiritually unless they face the realities, weaknesses, and sins in their lives. Mercy must be accompanied by truth.
But we must remember that everyone has his “dark side,” areas where his life is a bit or a lot out of order, areas where he struggles. Every family has its “skeletons in the closet.” No matter how much glitter, gold, and iron are on our statue, there is always the “clay feet.”

Most of the men of faith we see in scripture would have been disqualified and rejected had today’s media been reporting on their lives. “Israel” had his “Jacob” past. Today’s media would have ignored the name (character) change and would have broadcast how Jacob stole his brother’s birthright and blessing. They would have pointed out that when Jacob left Laban, his wife had stolen and taken with them Laban’s household idols. These items would have been front-page news, and the world would have been looking for someone else to run for Jacob’s position as patriarch of the 12 tribes.

Had today’s news outlets covered the life of King David, they would have been impeached and removed him as king because of his sin with Bathsheba and the death of her husband. He would have been criticized because of his failure as a parent as seen in the rebellion of some of his sons. The world would have ignored God’s sovereign choice, David’s repentance, and God’s discipline in David’s life.

The Apostle Paul would have been removed as a candidate for apostleship because of his association with the persecution and imprisonment of Christians, and because he had taken part in the martyrdom of the evangelist Stephen.

The world does not forgive past sins and mistakes. It has no mercy on current flaws and weaknesses in the lives of those who labor among us. It takes no account of God’s forgiveness toward the seasoned saint who stumbled and recovered. It is unable to understand the changes and transformation in the lives of those who have come to Jesus in sincerity and truth and who have become “new creatures in Christ.” The “fly in the ointment” has more weight in their minds that the whole bottle of perfectly good ointment currently in hand. The world does not know Jesus, and therefore, is unable to conceive of the inner transformation that comes with the new birth. 

Since they are so good at acting and performing, they assume all true spiritual change is only an outward and deceptive façade, a show for the cameras. They have no concept of the fact that God takes an ax to his vineyard to remove those trees that are not His, but baptizes His true children in a refining fire.

“Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.” Jeremiah 18: 3-4.

All of us are marred in the “Potter’s” hands. Our wrinkles and stains are usually hidden from the world around us, and we struggle with and deal with them alone, with family, or with those closest to us. But occasionally the dirty laundry gets “hung out on the line” for all the world to see. These times require special surrender and obedience before the Lord.

When this happened to King David, he cried out to the Lord in repentance, and he surrendered to God’s discipline. When fleeing Jerusalem during Absalom’s rebellion he told the priest, “If the Lord is pleased with me, He will bring me back (to my place), but if He should say, 'I take no delight in him,' let Him do what seems good to Him.” David did not deny his sin. He did not grasp to hold to what he might possibly have forfeited.
Times of exposure require special honesty, faith, surrender, and renewed commitment to follow Jesus Christ, whether to the mountain of renewed honor or to the valley of humiliation. He is Lord, and we serve Him…not ourselves.

The world rejoices when Christians are "caught with their hands in the cookie jar." I remember some non-Christians gloating in the fact that the televangelist Jim Bakker was caught in questionable behavior and was being sent to prison. My response was to say, “Yes, judgment begins at the house of God. And when he is finished with us, He is coming for you.”
“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the Gospel of God? If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and sinner appear?” 1 Peter 4:17-18.
We should not be arrogant against those who might have a “fly in their ointment,” if we’re failing to swat the swarm in our own kitchen.
“Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” Luke 6:42.                                                         ---B. Long