Some individuals are worthy of admiration. We look up to them and benefit from the many blessings they bring into our life. But it’s hard to stomach when we’ve been deceived and discover their hidden life of sin.
We understand no one is perfect and that all have sinned.
And yet there’s a general expectation we’re all pressing toward the same mark – committed to being transformed into the image of Christ in every aspect of our lives.
When we fall, we get up again. And we keep getting up as many times as necessary.
And to be sure, it’s encouraging when we can find others to follow along the way. We’ve each have been given our own talents, gifts, and abilities to serve the greater good and we don’t have to figure everything out on our own.
It’s natural then to respect and admire those who bless us in various ways. And we can readily accept them even with their many imperfections.
What’s harder to bear is deception – when we’re led to believe something is true that really isn’t.
It’s one thing when we’re all in the fight together – struggling yet encouraging one another to stay the course.
But it’s something else entirely when someone we look up to keeps significant portions of their life hidden. And not just private – a life of darkness in stark contrast to the life of light we’ve professed together.
To say we’re let down and disappointed at such a discovery would be a massive understatement to say the least.
But it does remind us to keep our eyes on Christ. We’re free to imitate others inasmuch as they’re imitating Christ.
In the end, regardless of how much we’ve been blessed by their gifting, we must never allow them to take the place of Christ.
Their deception still stings, but it doesn’t take us out. We grieve, learn, and recommit to our journey of wholeheartedly following Christ.
Feel the hurt and pain of deception to the full. And keep your eyes on Christ. He will never let you down.
Photo by christopher lemercier on Unsplash
