Don't Look the Other Way!

A PROPHETIC WORD OF CORRECTION:

I was at an event a couple weeks ago where I heard several women share their stories.  Some were stories of triumph and some were stories of tragedy and brokenness.  One story in particular really weighed on my heart.  This post is send a sound warning to leaders everywhere in the Body of Christ.

The woman shared a story of sexual misconduct towards her by her Pastor.  A man who used his authority and influence to take advantage of her, and thereby, deeply wounding and defiling her.

I could relate to how she must have felt because, I too, have a similar story - in my personal and professional life.

During my tenure at the IBM Corp.  I had become good friends with an older co-worker.  After a few years, this co-worker began making advances.  Inappropriate words, touches, etc.  After several vehement warnings, one day he ran his finger up my skirt!  That was the last straw! This time, there were witnesses.  I knew he was fast approaching retirement after 30 years of service, so I wrote the strongest letter I knew how to write.  I threatened to bring him before management and to destroy his chances at retirement (IBM took this kind of behavior very seriously, and he knew it). I gave a copy of the letter to his best friend, and I strongly encouraged her to talk to him because I had had enough and I wasn't playing this time.  That stopped him.  He apologized and I never had a problem after that.

As a professional Human Resources Officer, I had 2 employees report sexual misconduct towards them from the Senior Pastor; one was to an employee personally, the other was towards an employee's child.  I can't tell you the anger and utter disgust I felt, and on so many levels! The leader was completely unrepentant and arrogant in his response - even to the point of using one of the staff pastors to threaten me.  My position was compromised.  I couldn't stand on the side of the employees without abdicating my responsibility to the management team, and I absolutely could not stand on the side of management because he was OFFENDER!

I tendered my resignation; but not without speaking truth to power.  It is at this point in my ministry, that I recognize that God had given me a prophetic voice.  Not the kind that gives personal prophecy to individuals or the kind that declares and decrees - that's part of it - but the kind that confronts and challenges everything outside of God's order.  He told me what to do and say, and I responded earnestly in obedience.

The Lord gave me specific instructions (1 Tim. 5:19-21 and Ezek. 2:1-8) to warn those leaders and those who continued to cover his indiscretions and I am giving the same warning to ALL leaders, but especially spiritual leaders charged with feeding and protecting the flock.  

This is the whole point of this post.  I am sounding the alarm; warning, not only every leader, every pastor, every priest, every civic or political leader who has ever abused his/her power and authority to sexually defile another person - but those who knew about it and looked the other way!   

Pastors and Leaders!

This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

1 Samuel 3:11-18New International Version (NIV)

11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God,[a] and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”

Heed the words of the prophet Samuel! 

If you continue to do evil and look the other way, judgment will come upon your household! 

Be not deceived; God is not mocked!

Whatsoever you sow, that shall you also reap!