Spiritual Growth · Abundant Life

Bringing people into church roles too casually? What about their fruit?

7 min read, approximately

Mark 9:42 (Fruit)
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble would be better off having a millstone tied around their neck and being thrown into the sea.”

Businesses

Generally, when a business needs someone to carry out a task, applicants must undergo:

\1. One or more interviews to get to know the applicant as a person.
\2. Another interview to obtain information about the applicant’s experience for the position.
\3. One or more tests to find out whether the applicant knows what the job requires.

Other businesses go much further, trying to learn about qualities such as the applicant’s adaptability, initiative, teamwork, loyalty, respect, obedience, capacity for innovation, and so on.
Why, then, do businesses do this?
Hiring someone without this rigorous process would be like playing blind! The business would have no basis for knowing whether the person hired would be part of the solution or part of the problem!
Incredible as it may seem, many of these businesses do not know the Bible, yet they apply principles of order and planning because they know that a mistake can mean great expense or even the ruin of the business. That is why the business always has the option of dismissing an employee who does not align with its mission and vision.

“For which of you, wanting to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see whether you have what is needed to finish it? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and being unable to finish, everyone who sees it may begin to mock you, saying: This person began to build and could not finish. Or what king, going to war against another king, does not first sit down and consider whether he can meet with ten thousand the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.” (Luke 14:28-32)

Let us look in God’s Word

Selection

The Lord’s Word teaches us that God chose (hired) a man with the ability to reign over Israel…

“Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the family of Matri was chosen; from it Saul son of Kish was chosen. They looked for him, but he could not be found. So they asked the Lord again whether the man had come there yet. The Lord answered: He is hiding among the baggage. They ran and brought him from there, and when he stood among the people, he was taller than everyone else from his shoulders upward.

Samuel said to all the people: Have you seen the one the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people. Then the people shouted joyfully: Long live the king! Samuel then recited to the people the laws of the kingdom and wrote them in a book, which he placed before the Lord.” (1 Samuel 10:20-25)

Forgetting the task

But this man decided to forget the ability God had given him and act hastily, disobediently, and foolishly… Someone who was creating problems instead of being a solution…

_“_He waited there seven days, according to the time Samuel had appointed, but Samuel did not arrive. As the soldiers began to scatter, Saul ordered: “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings,” and he offered the burnt offering himself. Just as Saul finished making the sacrifice, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and greet him. But Samuel challenged him: “What have you done?”

Saul answered: “Well, when I saw the people scattering, that you had not arrived at the appointed time, and that the Philistines had gathered at Michmash, I thought: ‘The Philistines are about to attack me at Gilgal, and I have not even sought the Lord’s help.’ So I ventured to offer the burnt offering.” “You have acted like a fool!” Samuel replied. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. The Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, but now I tell you that your kingdom will not endure. The Lord is already seeking a man more pleasing to him and has appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept his command.” (1 Samuel 13:8-14)

Consequences

After this, however, the Lord gives Saul a new mission, but he disobeys again… Please read 1 Samuel 15…

Keep this in mind

We know that unwillingness to submit, rebellion, pride, arrogance, and repeated disobedience will always become a harmful source of infection… So what would we do if we knew we had such a person in our church? Are we giving responsibilities to people who do not know the Lord’s focus, mission, and vision? Are we making decisions too casually? Are we being swayed by these people’s gifts and talents?

Let us remember that the Lord’s flock is at stake

“Therefore watch over yourselves and over all the flock among whom the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of the Lord, which he purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)

Let us not become desperate

Let us not be anxious or lose our focus. Instead, let us remember that

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24)

Let us examine examples in God’s Word

Let us learn from what the Lord taught Samuel on a second occasion

“When they came, he saw Eliab and said: Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him. But the Lord answered Samuel: Do not look at his appearance or his great height, because I have rejected him. The Lord does not see as a human being sees; people look at what is before their eyes, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:6-7)

Be very careful about hasty decisions

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you will know them by their fruit.” (Matthew 7:15-20)

Keep in mind that

“Behold, I am coming soon; hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown.” (Revelation 3:11)

Care for the flock that is here, help what is here move forward, and do not torment it or weep over what is not here!

_**Remember to stop by the Songbook

May God continue to bless you, and may you continue to have an excellent day in Christ Jesus!