Agent of the Spirit or of the Status Quo?

In going through the first four chapters of Micah, the Holy Spirit is clearly in view. We see this starting in Micah 2:7 “Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient? Are these the things he does?”

“Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient? Are these the things he does?”

Micah 2:7, CSB

Spurgeon points out that when the church ceases to display the character of God, we must look to the Holy Spirit to rekindle the fire within us.

In Chapter 3, Micah points out that the difference between him and others is that he is filled with the Spirit, and this is why he won’t be ashamed as others will.

The people were faltering and not living as God told them to. They were worshiping other gods, and following practices of those who lived around them. They were unjust, and righteousness was not seen in them.

In chapter 4, Micah speaks about how they are no longer seeking their Counselor. As Spurgeon points out, he has not perished physically, but since they are not seeking Him out so He is not seen in practice.

They were comfortable (those who were rich), and were looking to keep things comfortable. Those in power were looking to keep the status quo.. This begs the question,

“Are we agents of the Spirit or agents of the status quo?”

Change was necessary, but the people in power liked things the way they were. In the book Leadership on the Line by Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky, they point out that: “People do not resist change, per se. People resist loss. You appear dangerous to people when you question their values, beliefs, or habits of a lifetime. You place yourself on the line when you tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear.”

“People do not resist change, per se. People resist loss. You appear dangerous to people when you question their values, beliefs, or habits of a lifetime. You place yourself on the line when you tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear.”

Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky, Leadership on the Line:Staying alive Through the Dangers of Leading, (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2002), 11-12

Micah, as an agent of God, told people what they needed to hear, not what they wanted to hear. Unfortunately, they chose not to listen.

Are we following the lead of the Holy Spirit, living as He’s calling us to, and doing the things He has called us to, or have we become comfortable with the status quo, looking to preserve what we have at all costs.

It is interesting to note that while what we are trying to preserve might not be all that comfortable, often the thought of change can be even more uncomfortable.

The goal of our lives should be to live as the Spirit calls us to live, and to do what He’s calling us to do.

In the book Tempered Resilience, Tod Bolsinger speaks about being leaders instead of managers. Managers keep things going they way they have been, leaders seek growth and desire to go where they are called to go. He brings us a great question that all churches, non-profits, and companies are going to need to ask in the near future (if they aren’t asking it now) when looking to see our organizations continue?

What are we saving them for?

Instead of looking at what purposes we need to address to keep the status quo, or to be comfortable, shouldn’t we be asking the Spirit what purposes He has for us to serve?

This will be a major focus of my sabbatical, for me (and my family) and the church.

Lord, You have called me to be Your agent. To do what You desire for me to do. The same goes for the Elm Street Community Church (and Shining Light Ministries for that matter). There are so many needs, but as You mention to us in Eph. 2:20, You have created us to do good work, and You prepared this work in advance for us to do.

May we seek Your work and Your will, not everything that needs to be done but what You have set aside for us to do. And help us to be faithful to go and do it to the best of our ability, until You return or call us home.

In Jesus Name.