True Measure of Spirituality : Have We Taken Jesus Seriously

True Measure of Spirituality: Are We Really Taking Jesus Seriously

 

 

“Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you , leave your gift  there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother ; then come and offer your gift.”

 

 

Matthew 5:23

 

 

What is the true measure of spirituality of  a christian leader ?

Is it based on the number of his ministries in the church ? The number of his accomplishments in the church ministries ? Or the number of his followers ?

I believe one of the strongest basis of true spirituality of  a chritsian leader  is how seriously he take the passage above. It is very disappointing to realize that many professing Christians even church leaders take the passage above in laxity.

Many Christian leaders have hurted their members and they are not even willing to humble themselves to seek forgiveness from the members whose feelings they have hurted. How can they continue in the activities of their ministry  with the unresolved conflict with their members. This is a clear violation of Christ command in Matthew 5:23. This just imply that they are not taking the commands of Jesus word for word as they are revealed in the Holy Biible. They are not really taking Jesus so seriously.

I have known an active church leader in a certain church in Manila who have hurted tremendously the feelings of a certain lady and caused her a heartbreak. This young man and the lady he hurted were once very close friends .Throughout the course of their friendship, the man shew the lady gestures that would make the lady fall in love with him. The lady fell in love with him deeply. But the young church leader courted other girl instead. This caused a deep hurt in the lady’s heart. The young man married the girl he courted and never asked for an apology from the woman he hurted. The young man is active in the church discipleship ministry, and I wonder whether he has a true deep spirituality or just a head knowledge Christian which never take Jesus words so seriously.

My friend from Singapore was deeply hurted by their Pastor because this Pastor scolded him when it discovered that he solicited money for the mission trip. The mission trip’s air fare and hotel accommodation  were sponsored by their church.  But my friend was in deep financial crisis, he solicited money for personal expenses such as toiletries  and pocket money for the trip. This church Pastor is not aware that he hurted my friend’s feelings  by scolding him and accusing him of dishonesty. My friend is so much hurted that he does not want anymore to attend their church.

Many churches lack power  because its leaders never take Jesus commands in the New Testament  word for word. The true measure of our spirituality is based on how far have we obeyed Christ commands in the New Testament, how far have we taken Jesus words seriously.

Have we hurted someone ? During this particular Christmas season , before the year end, let us be reconciled to all people we have caused pain, let us seek their forgiveness or our sacrifices will not be honored by Jesus Himself or our ministries will turn out to be in vain..