The appearance of evil is when even though something is innocent, it may appear to be bad to others that aren't aware of all the details. A while ago I was spotted at Reeperbahn in St. Pauli, Hamburg that is one of the bigger red light districts in Europe. The streets are filled with erotic clubs, gay bars, prostitution, drugs and misery. I got a phone call from a man who said that he had heard that I had been at Reeperbahn.
- Yes sir, that is correct I answered, I was there, then and then.
At this point I did not go any further with telling what I was doing there as I wanted to see where this man was going with his comment. This time it was not a misunderstanding as the man knew that I was on a missions trip and that I was there reaching people for the Lord.
There were two things I had in mind when I was there. 1. To always have my son and someone else with me. 2. Not talk to a woman without having a third person with me.
These two things helped to avoid any misunderstandings in case someone who knew me saw me there. It would have been totally different if I had stood there in a street corner by myself looking like I am out to buy sex. It is called using wisdom in what you do as many things we do can be misunderstood and be appearances of evil even if the truth is different.
I talked about this with a brother who shared some stories with me about similar situations and this is how I remember the stories told to me. The first one about the pastor who wanted to get his favorite Perrier water chilled as opposed to off the shelf. He went to the liquor store next to the grocery store as he knew they had it refrigerated there. When he left the store he had the brown bag with the large bottle inside. Outside he encountered some local teens and to them it appeared that the pastor was leaving a liquor store with a large bottle of what they sell inside. Mostly liquor. One of the teens knew the pastor and knew he was a recovering alcoholic. So although it was completely innocent it APPEARED that pastor was sneaking into a liquor store and going to go get drunk.
These teens on the outside did not know what he had in the bag and the gossip started, the pastor had come out from the liquor store with a brown bag in his hand. It has to be liquor. This is where too many people, even Christians fail. They start to gossip and telling other people that the pastor is on the sauce and drinking liquor. As we have read the story that is not the truth. What is it then? Yes, it is a lie and it makes those teens as well as those who spread those rumors further to liars.
Another story is about a couple in church that was dating. A man was visiting his girlfriend. When he went to leave his car wouldn't start. The girlfriend gave him a ride home. One of the members in the church lived on the same street and was coming home from their 2nd shift job in the middle of the night. The neighbor and church member told the pastor that the unmarked couple must be sleeping together because the boyfriends car was there all night long. It appeared to be something it wasn't.
These stories may not have happened in the way I write them here but they still are two lessons: 1. The appearance of evil or sinful behavior. 2. Gossip.
As christians we really need to watch what we do, where we do and with who we do. For example my mentor Pastor Tommy told me a long time ago how important it is to never be alone with a woman in a room, even if you are praying for her. In this case it is always better to have another woman pray for the woman but in some cases it is not possible and as a minister of the Gospel I have to pray for women as well as men. Still I know to NOT do it in a place or in a way that could give someone a possibility to misunderstand the scenario. I believe this is also why Jesus sent out His disciples two and two.
In our walk with the Lord we should try our best to make it clear that we are "living right"; acceding to God but people should also know all the facts before they criticize and judge a situation and should definitely watch their tongues with regard to gossip and rumor.
What do you do if you find your pastor counseling a woman in her house at 3AM? I hope you don't do it the wrong way and start to gossip and tell others that your pastor has been together with this woman at her house at 3AM. You better first ask the pastor what he was doing there and most likely and hopefully there is a logical reason to his visit, if it was an emergency it could probably not wait until the morning. Here the pastor also has a big responsibility to avoid a scandalous appearing. Instead of visiting this woman at 3 AM alone he could for example take one more person with him, that would already have solved the problem.
We have to remember that we are not just an example for other believers but we are to be an example for unbelievers. If we don't put ourselves in a scandalous appearing situation then there is never an appearance of scandal. The church has a hard enough time as it is with actual fornicators, thieves, liars etc within leadership. We do not need to give the world any fuel for or the enemy an easy target.
What makes me most sad is the fact that where appearance of evil or sinful behavior is seen we as christians gossip first and make a chicken out of a feather and then it is too late as people have already believed the lies and have made their decisions and conclusions based on lies and this leads to division. Division is NEVER from God. Division is ALWAYS from the devil himself. Also the most heartbreaking part is that when a brother or sister is down there is usually nobody there to support and encourage, the brethren are kicking the one who is down, the one who have suffered from being misunderstood and an offer for a lie because of may be not watching his or her back.
IF you do NOT know the truth about things you talk about, you better don't talk about them at all. It is ok to say "I don't know" instead of insist and agree with liars. Don't become a liar and judge others based on gossip and lies as YOU are going to be judged with the same amount later on.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never gives up on us and when someone realize they have done wrong or that they could have done something different and are asking for forgiveness we HAVE TO forgive. Forgiveness is more than just words, it is also action and trust. Let us become Jesus prayer answers, He is praying for all the believers to be ONE (John 17).
I hate to see churches fall apart because of these kind of issues and matters. I hate to see christians gossip and lie about one another. I realize while writing this that I am the same way and that I need to repent and ask God for forgiveness for the times I have acted this way. I know God will forgive me, therefore YOU should also forgive those who ask you for forgiveness or ask those for forgiveness that you have gossiped about. Unforgiveness is an ugly sin.
Sweden, Africa, Germany & USA
Right now I am at home with my family and I just felt an urge to write about this as these things happen daily and I see it and I hear it. I can feel how the heart of God is crying as we do not play our cards right. That is why I wrote this today. I will be at home with my family until July 20th when me and my son, Sebastian leaves for some more meetings in Sweden, late July and early August.
Early September I am traveling with Pastor Tommy to Malawi, Africa for another PTL Crusade and later the same month I will return to Germany and do one or two weeks of meetings there. October will be more or less easy as in November it is time for USA again and another five to six week trip there is ahead, starting at the Lone Star Rally in Galveston, Texas. Please pray for us when we go out, that God will show up in the meetings as there is nothing we can do without the presence of Jesus. Pray for finances to go through all the open doors and for the TV work we do. We are in this together!
God Bless you all!
Pontus
