Quote:
Originally Posted by Pastor Poster
I learned this lesson the hard way, several years ago.
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Option 1:
Accept the pastor's wisdom and direction. Submit himself to it. Do what it takes to be in agreement.
Option 2:
Leave the church and go somewhere he could be "used."
Either way the young man had to stop calling me, talking to others about it, and fertilizing animosity toward the man of God I loved dearly.
The young man never has called me again.
Thankfully, he took my advice. He submitted himself.
Eventually he became the pastor's right hand man.
Things might have been different if I would have continued to coddle his insurrection. I learned a valuable lesson. Never give place to rebellion. God's plan is agreement and unity - not gossip and contention.
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I think what you did was to provide some direction for this troubled soul. A lot of people who get into these "bitter" types of situations really just need someone to point out alternatives and give them some prodding to take reasonable action. It's the feeling of being overwhelmed and intimidated that causes these folks to just sit and spin their wheels, throwing mud up all over everyone else.
I've been there and it's frustrating. Most folks just need to have someone as a momentary "echo chamber" so they can hear what they sound like. If that doesn't clear things up then they need a plan of action like what PP proposed to his acquaintance. If someone comes to you in a condition like this, you have the opportunity to do them some real good. Don't judge harshly, they probably have been smacked around a little already. Just get them up on their feet and pointed in the right direction. Kudos PP.
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