Handling That Sticky Situation
“Pastor, this is a potential “sticky situation.” What should we do about it? We need some answers. We need wisdom.”
Ministry life is made up of a multitude of decisions everyday. Some are black and white. Others, no so much. Pastor, how do you handle the “sticky situation” questions/decisions?
Moses in Numbers 9 gives us an excellent example. Faced with the case of the unclean men and whether they should participate in Passover, we read,
In the first month of the second year after their departure from the land of Egypt, the Lord told Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, 2 “The Israelites are to observe the Passover at its appointed time. 3 You must observe it at its appointed time on the fourteenth day of this month at twilight; you are to observe it according to all its statutes and ordinances.” 4 So Moses told the Israelites to observe the Passover, 5 and they observed it in the first month on the fourteenth day at twilight in the Wilderness of Sinai. The Israelites did everything as the Lord had commanded Moses. (Numbers 9:1-5)
Now comes that oft dreaded “but” that puts us in a potential conflict, a point of tension in ministry before a holy, omniscient God.
But there were some men who were unclean because of a human corpse, so they could not observe the Passover on that day. These men came before Moses and Aaron the same day 7 and said to him, “We are unclean because of a human corpse. Why should we be excluded from presenting the Lord’s offering at its appointed time with the other Israelites?” (9:6-7)
David Guzik presents this dilemma this way: “This was an attempt to resolve two principles. The first principle was that every Israelite must be included in Passover. The second principle was that no one in a state of ritual uncleanness could take part in the normal religious life of the community.” (Enduring Word Bible Commentary , Numbers 9).
What is Moses to do? What would you do? How should this dilemma be handled? Consider logic? Go on past decisions? “Phone a friend”? Rely on your education? Lean on psychology and your charts? No. Moses did what every ministry leader should do in such cases. Moses replied to them, “Wait here until I hear what the Lord commands for you.” (9:8).
Just a thought wrapped up in a different sort of way—— Pastor, you are confronted with a difficult, hard-to-answer question from some folk seated in your office. What would it say to the inquirers and about God if you got up from your chair and said, “Excuse me while I go to the next room to pray. Wait here until I hear from God.”? (Perhaps they could pray while you are out.) I know it sounds strange and unconventional, but maybe that’s why we are in some of the messes we’re in. Just maybe.
Are you faced with a dilemma; a potential sticky situation? Instead of thinking we as pastors have to always have the answer, say, “Wait here until I hear what the Lord commands for you.”
In so doing . . .
- You will be surrendering to the preeminent One, the Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:15-18)
- You will be teaching others to seek the Lord’s counsel and wisdom first. (Proverbs 3:5-7; James 1:5)
- You will be demonstrating genuine faith in God in your waiting. (Psalm 27:14; Matthew 6:33)
- You will be revealing a personal relationship with God that is real and personal. (John 15:1-8)
- You will be teaching the priority of prayer. (Luke 18:1; 1 Timothy 2:8)
No pastor ever regrets waiting on the Lord! All of us regret running ahead of God!
What sticky situation is facing you? How are you responding? What are others learning from you? Did you have to go into the next room?
Then the Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell the Israelites . . . (9:9-10).
Dale Cunningham is a retired pastor who now serves churches through D & D Ministries. He blogs at From a Pastor’s Heart, we republish his material with permission.