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Dealing Gently with the Ignorant and Wayward
In the High School class, we compared and contrasted the Levitical priesthood with the priesthood of Jesus after the order of Melchizedek. And the Hebrews writer spends several chapters on this concept, showing how the priesthood that began with Aaron was an imperfect shadow of Jesus’ high priesthood. And in Hebrews we read about the responsibilities of the priests under the Mosaic law:
For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.
Hebrews 5.1-2
As Christians, we are called to perform many of these same tasks. In First Peter, we read that once consecrated through baptism we become royal priests (1 Peter 2.4-5). So, I just want to take a quick look at just one of these responsibilities listed in Hebrews 5 that we have as priests in God's Kingdom. It's the very last thing that the Hebrews writer mentions in chapter 5 and verse 2: to “deal gently with the ignorant and wayward.”
These are two distinct groups of people. But they both involve evangelism and gentleness and of course ultimately love. Do you know people in your life that fall into one of these two groups? Of the ignorant or the wayward? I do. I have friends and family that I would classify into both of these groups. And I'm sure that you do too. The ignorant are those who just don't know about God. They don't know about His word. They don't know about His will for them. These are the people that we often focus on in evangelism classes. We teach those who have never been taught Jesus before.
And what about the wayward? These are the people who do know about God. Maybe even people who used to be in our number, but they've chosen to leave the priesthood. To leave the fold of God. How do we deal with people who know what is right but choose not to do it? And I think, if we want to deal with them like Jesus does, we have to do it gently.
So, what does that mean? Does it mean timidly? Does it mean walking on egg shells so that we don't step on anyone's toes or hurt anyone's feelings? Does it mean being overly cautious so that we don't offend anyone? Well I'd say no. We don't see Jesus doing those things. Instead, He deals with them with understanding, compassion and love. I know that a lot of times I get those things mixed up. Of dealing with friends and family in a way that won't offend them with compassion, understanding, and love. It's not the same thing. And I'll admit that that's hard for me to do. Because the compassionate thing, the loving thing is not to ignore their sins. It's not to avoid talking about religion or the Bible because you know it makes them uncomfortable. Instead, the loving thing, the compassionate thing is being bold in our beliefs but gentle in our presentation. Because after all, we too are beset with weakness. So how do we do that?
Let’s look at a brief analogy from Jesus' teaching to try to understand the type of gentleness that we need when interacting with others. In Luke 11, Jesus begins the chapter by teaching His disciples how to pray. And then He continues to give them some advice about prayer. I want to look at this advice and apply it to our lives as we are dealing with these two groups of people. So, let's look at His next advice:
5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
Luke 11.5-10
I’ll admit that I find myself relating to the friend in this parable more often than I do to the protagonist. I live about a 30 second walk away from Bryce and Keri Cline and Nathan and Kara Shepard. And Evan Rude is literally my next-door neighbor. And the thought of going to any of their houses at midnight to ask for food fills me with instant dread and anxiety. And they’re some of my closest friends. But I don't like inconveniencing or annoying anyone. Now imagine trying to ask something as important as “Why don't you turn your life around and come to church with me?” to somebody that you know actively wants no part of that in their life. But Jesus makes a really crucial point here. The focus of this parable isn't on who was doing the asking or what he was asking for. It's about how he asked. He says that the friend doesn't give him the bread just because they're friends. He's already in bed. He wants sleep. And if this breadless guy is really his friend, he would know to leave him alone after 9:00 PM. Just being friends isn't good enough in this case.
So why does the friend eventually give in to what this man needs? Well in the English Standard Version, Jesus says it's “because of his impudence.” And I think a lot of times we read this as because of his annoying persistence or because of his arrogance. Because those are synonyms to impudence. We even see in the NIV that the translator goes so far as to say “because of his shameless audacity.” These are things that are traits that are the opposite of gentleness. I think we see a better translation in the New American Standard and in the New King James versions where it says “shameless” because the Greek word used here translates more closely to “without shame.” And that's how Jesus tells us that we should approach God in prayer. Without shame. With confidence but not arrogance. I don't think we're meant to take this as if we annoy God enough, He'll give in to our requests. I think what Jesus is saying here is if we boldly proclaim that it's God's power and not our own that we're relying on, that He'll give us what we seek. And if we can approach God, the Almighty Creator of all, without shame, we should be able to approach our fellow man without shame.
And it's interesting that to His disciples, Jesus tells them, “You know how you’re bold with your neighbor? Be that bold when you're talking to God.” To me I often find that I have to read it the other way. “Zac, you know boldly you ask God for forgiveness when you sin? You know how boldly you ask God for these blessings that you don't deserve? Be that bold when you talk to people about your faith.” If we can show the ignorant and the wayward that we are confident in Christ, that we have no shame in wearing His name and that we were able to be compassionate and gentle because we too are sinners, that have received God's love, then we have a much better chance of reaching those people.
But maybe you find yourself in one of these two groups. Maybe you're ignorant of God's plan for you. You've never had the opportunity to study the Bible and learn about His will. Or maybe you've been wayward. You know what God wants from you, but you either haven't made the steps to accept that or you've rejected His call to salvation in the past. I just want to tell you that it's not too late.
If you want to be able to approach God's throne of grace with confidence, then all you need is His mercy and His grace and that comes through repenting of your sins. Confessing Him as Lord. Believing in His word. And being baptized into His death, burial and resurrection. If you want that confidence to be able to approach both God and man without shame, I'd invite you to make that commitment.
Become a fellow priest in this real priesthood.
