The bald leading the bald
May 23, 2012
Last week I went to the local chicken shop. It's not the premier brand of chicken shopand is run by some of the most unhygienic men in the UK. The owners, however, are very friendly and they were very excited to show me the new CCTV cameras they had installed; 4 different camera shots from overhead. If someone is thinking of stealing fillet burgers or spicy chicken wings from Perfect Fried Chicken on Greenford Avenue, think again. However, as I looked at the screens I could see a man dressed similarly to me, about my height who had a bald spot reflecting from the lights and whose hair was noticeably thinning. I looked around but there was no one else in the shop. It was at this point I slowly raised my hand to touch the crown of my head and, to my horror, discovered that the man on the CCTV was me. I came home and relayed this to Mrs Levy who affirmed the fact that I'm going very thin on top. I went to bed a broken man.
Of course it's totally ridiculous. Both my grandfathers were bald, my father is bald, Ihave two older brothers who are bald. I'm 35 and I'd done well to hold on to it as long as I have but it was always going to happen. I think I kidded myselfI was going to somehow keep a full head of dark hair. I thought I was doing ok and then suddenly one trip to Perfect Fried chicken, one look in the mirror, so to speak, and the reality is exposed.
I was preaching on Luke 6:37 - 49 recently and came across this great quote by George Kaird
'pseudo religion is forever trying to make other people better and the cure for it is a mirror.'
The twohumorous parables that Jesus tells; the blind leading the blind (Luke 6:39-40) and the speck and the plank (Luke 6:41-42) are particularly applicable to preachers and leaders. The danger for those of us involved in preaching and teaching the Bible is we're forever trying to apply the Bible to other people. I preach sermons and I get frustrated because I wish this person or that person had been there because it would have been ideal for them. When I begin to think like that I am missing the great log in my own eye and picking out the speck in others.
And so as leaders we must be marked by clear sight and teachability. It is as we seeourselves clearly exposed by the mirror or CCTV of God's Word that we are able to lead and teach others.
Of course it's totally ridiculous. Both my grandfathers were bald, my father is bald, Ihave two older brothers who are bald. I'm 35 and I'd done well to hold on to it as long as I have but it was always going to happen. I think I kidded myselfI was going to somehow keep a full head of dark hair. I thought I was doing ok and then suddenly one trip to Perfect Fried chicken, one look in the mirror, so to speak, and the reality is exposed.
I was preaching on Luke 6:37 - 49 recently and came across this great quote by George Kaird
'pseudo religion is forever trying to make other people better and the cure for it is a mirror.'
The twohumorous parables that Jesus tells; the blind leading the blind (Luke 6:39-40) and the speck and the plank (Luke 6:41-42) are particularly applicable to preachers and leaders. The danger for those of us involved in preaching and teaching the Bible is we're forever trying to apply the Bible to other people. I preach sermons and I get frustrated because I wish this person or that person had been there because it would have been ideal for them. When I begin to think like that I am missing the great log in my own eye and picking out the speck in others.
And so as leaders we must be marked by clear sight and teachability. It is as we seeourselves clearly exposed by the mirror or CCTV of God's Word that we are able to lead and teach others.
