Glass houses

I once observed what I thought to be a very strange phenomenon in church. It seems our orchestra director had become romantically involved with one of the ladies in the orchestra. Unfortunately, both happened to be married to other people.

We had a Choir director who was also an ordained pastor and the orchestra director reported to him. Somehow their affair had been exposed and this Choir director pastor had become aware of it. The next Sunday the choir director pastor angrily called the orchestra leader to center stage and in front of the entire church grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt right above his neck and held him up whereby his feet barely touched the floor and made him apologize to the entire church for his actions. I believe that the orchestra leader was genuinely sorry for what he had done and his tearful apology was heart-felt. After his apology, the choir director pastor angrily berated him and then tersely ordered him to get out of there. The disgraced orchestra leader left the stage, head held low sobbing as he went.

Personally I was appalled by this spectacle and to this day consider it bizzare. I agree that what he did was wrong and it was particularly bad that one of the leadership of the church did it, but I do not agree that he should have been publicly humiliated in such a manner. He should have been spiritually counseled concerning his actions and then quietly fired.

I am constantly amazed at the vicious nature in which some “Christians” publicly attack anyone who might make a mistake along the way of trying to lead a sin-free life. I suppose I am more inclined to cut some slack to those people who on occasion falter, because I am so easily overtaken by temptation myself. After all, the Bible clearly states that “all”, (including the choir director pastor), have sinned and come short of the glory of God and further that even one sin is sufficient to send one’s soul to hell everlasting. Jesus came and lived a perfect life and then died for our sins for that very reason; it is impossible for ordinary people to lead sin-free lives.

I was thinking of this scenario and was pleasantly surprised to read my personal viewpoint of this issue expressed almost verbatim in the Bible. This passage was addressed to a group of churches by The Apostle Paul in his epistle Galatians. The lesson is that we should deal with those who have lost their way in a spirit of gentleness and keep in mind that temptation can overtake “us” just as easily. Don’t be so quick to condemn others; people who live in glass houses should be careful of what they say and do

Galatians 6:1
Brethren, if a man is overtaken
in any trespass, you who are spiritual
restore such a one in a spirit
of gentleness, considering yourself
lest you also be tempted.