I'm trying to get to a place where I can build a solid youth ministry and an even more secure youth staff. I can see God putting people in my life everyday that have the ability to impact the lives of the young people in our church and our community, but how do I get those people in? How do I connect with them on a visionary level where they can help me advance the purpose that I feel God has given me for this ministry?
Psalm
101
A psalm of David.
1. I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.
I will praise you with songs.
2. I will be careful to live a blameless life-
when will you come to help me?
I will lead a life of integrity
in my own home.
3. I will refuse to look at
anything vile and vulgar.
I hate all who deal crookedly;
I will have nothing to do with them.
4. I will reject perverse ideas
and stay away from every evil.
5. I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.
I will not endure conceit and pride.
6. I will search
for faithful people
to
be my companions.
Only
those who are above reproach
will
be allowed to serve me.
7. I will not
allow deceivers to serve in my house,
and
liars will not stay in my presence.
8. My daily task
will be to ferret out the wicked
and
free the city of the Lord from
their grip.
This
Psalm seems pretty drastic, seems kind of extreme doesn't it? I mean, David
says that he wont even let liars be in the same room as him. To be honest, I
thought that, and when I read it I felt uncomfortable... I thought, that's not
nice! That is going to offend someone and maybe push them away from Jesus...
Since when did Jesus candy-coat anything? I don't want to live a life of
compromise! I don't want to feel uncomfortable when I read scripture because I
think what it might say may offend someone. Offense can only be taken, not
given. Yes I believe in using tact but I don't want to compromise integrity
just to try to not make someone upset.
I
want to break down Psalm 101...
In my opinion David
is outlining requirements for leaders. He notes that it starts with
him and that he can't do it on his own. He needs God to help him. Then he
begins to set a standard for his life. I think that in vs. 3 - 5 there is an
example of a life of integrity. It's a life of no compromise, we
as Christians have to make some tough decisions sometimes that others
will think are extreme or even "unnecessary". Then he gives an
outline for the people serving with him, vs 6 - 7. People who live a life above
reproach, or can't be accused of bad or wicked things.
There is one more thing that I
noticed in this text that really stood out... It is the fact that David
understands and acknowledges the fact that all of this, having quality
leaders and being able to live a life that is of "No Compromise"
starts in the home. (Vs 2) He knows that his family and his personal life has
to be in line with God in order for his public life to even work.
You see, who you are when you are
alone is who you really are! If you are not willing to put down the masks and
be the same person in public that you are at home then you will Fail!
I want to be a person that is a
direct image of Christ and what he is about. I want to be an example of Christ
so that my leadership teams are filled with people of Character
and Integrity. People who live a life above reproach so that we can train
up a generation of young people who will in turn Not Compromise their beliefs
for their feelings.
His ways are not our ways and His
thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8)... God please help me to be a man
of your ways, and a man of your thoughts. Please help me to not compromise in
any area of my life and to live a life of Integrity in my own home.
