Home > Church, College, Reflection > When it all goes Pete Tong…

When it all goes Pete Tong…

2 May, 2007 Leave a comment Go to comments


So, I’m working on biblical, ethical and theological perspectives on corruption, globalism and capitalism in response to the Paul Wolfowitz allegations.
It’s very interesting, if a bit intense! I’m over half-way through, but the whole plan and references are all well and truly sorted, so I’m hoping to get a good draft finished this evening for comment by my lecturer, John Weaver who, by the way, is going to be the next Vice-President of the Baptist Union (GB). And many congratulations to him.

Anyway, about Paul Wolfowitz. It would appear that he has acted unwisely. It would also appear that he’s sorry for acting unwisely. I don’t really think I can say any more than that. What’s sad, is that global corruption is in overdrive, and hardly gets a mention in the mainstream news, but one, seemingly comparably small indiscretion by a man who professes to want to tackle corruption and the rest of the world comes down on him like a tonne of bricks. From a potential ministry perspective, that’s quite scary. I know that those who are called to teaching and leadership ministry in God’s church are to be above reproach, and that we should practice what we preach, but let’s face it. I’m going to fall on my arse sometime, aren’t I? And what will happen? Everyone will know about it. And everyone will be entitled to their opinion, and as such will share it. Hopefully with me, but not necessarily.

It’s not something I’ve ever given much thought to, but I guess I should. How will I respond? Will I admit my faults, and act as graciously as possible, or will I throw my toys out of the pram? I wonder, and I pray.

Categories: Church, College, Reflection
  1. Marcus G
    7 May, 2007 at 4:07 pm
    Reply

    Psalm 119.9 isn’t a bad starting place. Or Psalm 1.

    You will mess up, for sure. We all do. the extent of that messing up is for you to decide. Seriously. I think you make the choice now.

    The choices made in the secret place are the ones everyone sees in the market place. So Jesus, alone in the desert, tempted with the words “if you are the Son of God”, and no-one to see, gets it right. When he next hears those words in the form of a temptation he’s on the cross – but he holds firm because the victory in the secret place created strength for this day.

    By contrast, Peter is told to pray for strength against temptation in the garden, where no-one can see. Instead, he sleeps. And in the next garden he finds, confronted by slave girls and nobodies, he curses Jesus and betrays him. Public failure.

    So if you were momentarily cross with my comment about the Sabbath a couple of posts ago, I apologise.

    But if we don’t get it right when no-one sees, we will never get it right. We choose our own mistakes. The little ones we make privately are the big ones we will make publicly. You are training for ministry, and all the exams and essay subjects in the world are but the beginning of that training.

    We all have a heart to train too, you know.

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