“Do not leave your post” is an exhortation from the book of Ecclesiastes 10:4 in the Bible. The teaching here tells us that even in an extremely difficult situation we must not leave our post. Never, never never leave our post! Even for a little while, because a lot can happen in a little while.
There is also a teaching in Ecclesiastes that is true and is to be taken seriously. In the last verse of chapter 9, it says “ One sinner destroys much”.
Spilling over into chapter 10:1 it says, “ Dead flies putrify the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor. So does A little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.”
Here’s the sobering lesson. Those who are respected for wisdom and honor can have even a brief sinful indiscretion and their entire legacy can be ruined. They left their post.
Their reputation goes from respected and honored to a foul odor. Boom!
The wise grieve and are wounded by it and the fools have a heyday when the respected and honored leave their post and become hypocrites. Paul says in Romans 2:22-24 “ You who say do: Do not commit adultery “ do you commit adultery?….. You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” as it is written.
Now when followers of Christ who really do have a fear of the Lord hear these teachings it hits them like a brick and they spontaneously break into prayer, “Oh, Lord please, please fill me so with your Holy Spirit that I may never leave my post. Grant me that I will finish strong and hear you say, “Well done thy good and faithful servant”.
Ravi Zacharias did not finish strong. The teachings of the Lord are true. The whole thing has a foul odor. Many people mock Ravi and mock God. I hate this.
For whatever reason, he lost his fear of God and thought he could lead a “secret” life. You know what? There is no secret life. The fear of God always reminds us that God is ever-present, all-knowing, all-powerful. When I am tempted to click something evil on my computer the fear of the Lord is my friend. It reminds me that Jesus sees and hears all that I do, say, or think.
Some years back my beloved wife Holly walked into the drug store across the street from the church we attended and where all of our children were baptized in the name of Jesus.
As she passed the magazine rack she saw softcore porn magazines on the shelf. She was offended and taken aback. She asked to see the person responsible for doing this. It was the district manager. Guess what. He was in row five with his assistants reviewing the inventory etc.
Holly walks up and says, “Who’s the boss”?
He said .” I am”.
Then here it comes. She says,” Mr., this is the neighborhood where I live and this is my drug stop and also our children’s drug store. Our church is across the street. I don’t want this trash in my drug store!”
The manager said, “Well, the public wants it”.
She says,” Well here’s what I have to say to you. Jesus says,” It would be better that you have a millstone hung around your neck and you are cast into the sea if you offend one of these little ones. Is that what you want Mr. Manager? A millstone around your neck?”
She stormed out of the store.
The next time Holly entered that store the magazines were gone! She did not leave her post!
Now don’t get me wrong. There may come a day when we are faithful and refuse to leave our post and we are overrun and killed. I get it. But one of my core values and beliefs is that on my last day and on my last breath I will be on my post for Jesus Christ! That’s it! Booyah!!!
I am grieved that Ravi left his post.
This brings me to the next point. King David left his post and messed up his family for generations. But what if his best friend Jonathan had still been alive? As Jonathan arrived at the battlefield he would have said, “ Hey where is David?!!”
“Oh, he”s at his palace hanging out”.
Then Johnathan would have screamed,” That’s not his post at this moment! He needs to get back here to where God has called him in this hour to be a leader”. Then Johnathan would have ridden his horse straight to the palace, walked in, and yelled at David,” Get off your butt and get back on your post to lead our men and do what God made you to do, NOW!!”
David’s entire future and legacy would have been completely different. What a tragedy.
So who was Ravi’s Jonathan? I guess nobody. What a tragedy.
I just read a study about 246 Christian ministers that had a moral failure and being disqualified here in the U.S. all in one year.
The study interviewed all 246 ministers and here were the trend lines:
- None were involved in any kind of real personal accountability.
- Each had all ceased having a daily time of personal prayer, Bible reading, and worship.
- More than 80 percent became sexually involved with women.
- Without exception, each of the 246 had been convinced that this sort of fall “would never happen to them”.
The following principles apply to ministers, plumbers, stay-at-home moms, businessmen, and for you and me:
- Sin Thrives In Isolation – Satan lives in darkness. That’s why he calls us there., Stay in the light. Stay in community. Pray for a Jonathan in your life who will come running when he sees you are slipping.
- If You Flirt With Sin, You Will Fall Into Sin – Sin is a slippery slope. The longer you walk on the edge of the abyss it only takes one step to go over the edge. Pray Christ will keep you on his path. Never leave your post.
- Pride Blinds Us To Our Weakness – I Corinthians 10:12 says, “ Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest they fall”.
- Purity Is Cultivated By Loving Jesus – Do not allow your hearts to grow cold towards the One who loves you so much. Guard your hearts. Don’t leave your post.
Holly and I have given a solid pledge to one another to help each other with all we’ve got to finish strong and faithful, picking up speed when we cross the finish line for Christ!
THE LORD BE WITH YOU.
J and H