Snipers

Snipers

A few weeks back I got this rather odd, anonymous, email attacking a fellow preaching brother that I’ve known for several years to do good work. I was first baffled and really wanted to respond back that this communication certainly could not be true and that I’d like to talk to the person who sent it to clear matters up. Then I remembered a few things:

1. People who send anonymous emails typically do it for a couple of possible reasons: Hate and hiding. Both of these are not from a righteous position. As a preacher for the past 40+ years I’ve had more than one anonymous email sent about me to inflict harm on my work. They are discouraging, disheartening, and distracting. I thought about reaching out to the guy and in some instances I might, but why would I want to discourage, dishearten, and distract a brother from doing good work? Typically the hate behind an anonymous email or letter comes as a result of hurt or jealousy. But not knowing what the motive might be, it could just be an evil person hiding and sniping. So.

2. The email may be true: It may be true that this brother had done X, Y, or Z. It may be he had done all three. Guess what. I have. I have my own X, Y, and Z’s. I’m not proud of them. And this is no cop out, I’m human. I sin. I do not minimize my sin, I repent of it, and strive to overcome it through the power of our Lord. But my calling a brother out over a matter that I did not see, or do not know the facts about, would be just as sinful as his supposed sin.

3. I remembered that God says love believes the best. This is the biggest for me. In Paul’s Spirit Inspired list he says: “charity…believeth all things.” It believes the best. I refuse to believe the worst about a brother, especially a brother in ministry. And I hold you to the text to do the same.

One more note before we close. Please remember these snipers are the extreme minority. Thankfully, they are rare. Don’t give them voice.

Brothers, if we are to go forward into God’s positive and glorious future we must do so together. Don’t be discouraged, instead encourage. God’s people are the best.