The Haggard "Opportunity"

This morning in the Atlanta airport, I read a USA Today article on the Ted Haggard fiasco.  I was struck by a comment that seems to reflect much of the sentiment at his church: "This is a great moment to show what grace is all about!"

No doubt, the falling of a Christian leader does present us an opportunity to show grace.  But this is not the moment for that.  Right now, the closer one is to Ted Haggard, the more ashamed he or she should be.  Haggard has shamed the evangelicals before the culture, he has shamed the gospel ministry, and he has shamed the church that followed his leadership.  He most certainly has shamed himself.  And until we evangelicals start expressing shame over situations like this, the more we are going to experience them and the less we will really know about the true grace of God.

I am reminded of a couple I once counseled after the husband had committed adultery.  He told his wife: "This is a great opportunity for us to demonstrate forgiveness."  Well, that was true.  But it wasn't the thing to say at that particular moment.