The Booing Spectators

Have you ever noticed who does the booing at a ball game? It's not he players on field. They have made their own mistakes and they are not inclined to boo their fellow-player when he makes his. They are pulling for one another, encouraging, helpful. They play as a team, win or lose as a team, suffer together as a team, rejoice together as a team. It is the spectators who boo. So it is in every walk of life: it is the spectators who as a rule do the criticizing, not the participants.

Unfortunately, in every congregation there are the spectators and the participants. The spectators never teach a Bible class, preach, visit or do personal work, lead singing, or preside at the table; they really don't get that much involved in the worship itself. But more often than not, they are the very ones who are found criticizing the preacher or song leader or Bible class teacher. They are the ones who are so embarrassed and incensed when someone commits an "error" in his efforts to lead the group. They come wanting to hear something interesting and that will make the time fly by. If they hear, they "cheer"; if not, they "boo."

Not so with the true participants, those who are really involved in the Lord's work. They are the ones "cheering on" that "rookie" who is preaching his first sermon or leading his first song. When a brother attempts to teach his first Bible class, they are looking for ways to be helpful. They are sympathetic; they rejoice in the success of others; they mourn over the sorrows of others; they feel for the one who has failed, make allowance for him to try again, and assure him that he will do better next time. They rejoice especially in the development of the young men and women in the Lord's work. They are just as nervous and excited when the young people make their first attempt at presiding at the table or teaching a class as they would be if they were their own children.

How many preachers have decided to move because of booing spectators right at the time when the participants were enjoying their greatest spiritual growth? How many elders have planned a work around the demands of the spectators rather than the needs of the participants?

Spectators need to become participants and find out what it's like out there "on the field." Participants need to keep on doing their best, ignoring the "boos" while looking to their all-seeing and understanding "Manager" for approval. All need to be preparing for judgment, where it will be the "doers of the word," not the critics, who will be saved. "Finally, be ye all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humble minded" ( 1 Peter 3:8).

More On Fault Finding

Fault finding is not difficult. Isaac Murray illustrates this in his story on how a dog hitched to a lawn mower stopped pulling to bark at a passer-by. The boy who was guiding the mower said, "Don't mind the dog, he's just barking for an excuse to rest. It's easier to bark than to pull the mower!"one, easier to hinder than to help, easier to destroy reputations than to construct character. Fault finding is as dangerous as it is easy. Anyone like the Pharisees can grumble, criticize or censure. But it takes a great individual to go on working faithfully and lovingly and rise superior to it all, as Jesus did.

Via Pause-Ponder-Profit 2003!