You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
What does this mean? Answer: We should fear and love God so that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slender, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, [think and] speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything. (Luther’s Small Catechism, Part I)
On September 16, I posted on my distaste of and disagreement to a capital campaign conducted by our local assembly. Whether my critique on the procedure was valid or invalid is immaterial here. I admit that assumptions and perceptions, rather than sound reason, ruled my thinking. In other words, I assigned an invalid intent on the leadership. That was sin.
In looking back on the months leading up to the post, I had opportunities to question the program being laid out and enacted. I did not, first by allowing past experience with elders from other churches cloud how this group might react, and second by rationalizing that a public message after the fact. The proper choice of action was to raise the concerns when they were presented. That way I could have been enlightened on the thought processes behind decisions made or enlightened others to blind spots that may have entered through “group think.”
I wish to make a public apology to the leadership for bearing a false witness and have deleted the post in question. And lest there be anyone who thinks that my actions come through some coercion from the elders, allow me to dispel the notion immediately. What I do today was precipitated by a conversation with my wife and some providential reading along the same lines forcing a hard look at what I had done.
Lastly, some will think, “It takes a big man to admit he’s wrong.” It takes a bigger man to avoid it.
What does this mean? Answer: We should fear and love God so that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slender, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, [think and] speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything. (Luther’s Small Catechism, Part I)
On September 16, I posted on my distaste of and disagreement to a capital campaign conducted by our local assembly. Whether my critique on the procedure was valid or invalid is immaterial here. I admit that assumptions and perceptions, rather than sound reason, ruled my thinking. In other words, I assigned an invalid intent on the leadership. That was sin.
In looking back on the months leading up to the post, I had opportunities to question the program being laid out and enacted. I did not, first by allowing past experience with elders from other churches cloud how this group might react, and second by rationalizing that a public message after the fact. The proper choice of action was to raise the concerns when they were presented. That way I could have been enlightened on the thought processes behind decisions made or enlightened others to blind spots that may have entered through “group think.”
I wish to make a public apology to the leadership for bearing a false witness and have deleted the post in question. And lest there be anyone who thinks that my actions come through some coercion from the elders, allow me to dispel the notion immediately. What I do today was precipitated by a conversation with my wife and some providential reading along the same lines forcing a hard look at what I had done.
Lastly, some will think, “It takes a big man to admit he’s wrong.” It takes a bigger man to avoid it.
My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life. (Prov 4:20-23)
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