Neutral or Abdicated?

We can be committed to Jesus but still have so much of our old selves to get rid of. The hold our pre-Christian life and attitudes has on us doesn't disappear overnight; we need to be aware.

I used to work in ministry with a man from a gangster background. I work with many people like that and many have truly committed themselves to Jesus and are trying to co-operate with him in changing their lives. This man was the same. 

However, as I worked more closely with him, little things showed that his old life still had a hold on him. The way that he took illegal shortcuts when driving, the things he said, the attitudes he held, the way he took advantage of and ultimately raped a vulnerable female colleague.

There had been subtle warning signs but too many people could only see how far he'd come - a success story - they didn't want to see how far he had to go and how much discipleship and guidance he needed. It didn't help that he always was a very convincing talker.

He tried to lie his way out of the situation whilst his victim fell apart. He'd been confused ("No means No?")

The male leadership in his church took him at his word. After a perfunctory spell of "discipline" he was restored and promoted in spiritual leadership with no true acknowledgement of responsibility. He got a new job in ministry; she was left with ruins she has to rebuild through no fault of her own.

The point of this is that recently I mentioned to someone else how I was not convinced that this man should be back in a position of spiritual leadership. The Lord does forgive and restore but we have to admit what we've done and not assume we'll be returned to the same position of responsibility immediately. A treasurer who embezzles, confesses and repents will be forgiven but not necessarily given the passwords to the bank accounts straight away.

Having only heard his side of things firsthand, she said she was choosing to remain neutral.

I have heard both sides first hand, am aware of circumstances surrounding the situation and I am definitely not choosing to be neutral.

Sometimes "remaining neutral" is the same as abdicating responsibility.

Sometimes it's being a peace-keeper instead of the peace-maker Jesus tells his followers to be.

There are things that shouldn't be swept under the carpet or papered over for the sake of "keeping the peace". It takes courage and hard work to stand up and be counted. Being neutral in many cases helps neither the victim nor the perpetrator find their way to healing and true restoration but it's so much easier.

Living among the after-effects of apartheid in South Africa makes this even more apparent.