Help! A lot of my people need straightening out!

Q. "A lot of my people need straightening out. Some of them are racist. Others are politically extreme, and there are others who have some pretty messed up theology that is against what our movement teaches. When I try to straighten them out, to bring unity, they tend to discount what I’m saying, and they won’t listen to me. I feel like I don’t have any credibility anymore."  

A. You can be right, or you can succeed. You don't HAVE to correct everyone that is speaking incorrectly. Nothing makes you look smaller than constantly correcting someone on minor points and details. Learn to just let it go, unless it is a major point that could cause someone a problem.

For example, if you’re truly reaching out in your community and actually reaching the people, you WILL have Democrats and Republicans. And your job isn’t to get them to change parties. You’re going to have those who love the President and those who think he’s the devil (well, almost.) Your church will look and sound like the community, which means they will have varying attitudes towards the rich, the poor, towards Pentecostals, Baptists, Methodists and Catholics. And you don’t have to correct them! You love them, listen and agree where you can and keep leading them close to the Lord. That's a sign of bigness.

Copyright Steven L. Davis  www.SteveDavis.org