The Golden boys and girls of the church.

Yeah you heard me right. Golden Boy. What is a golden boy in the context of a Christian community?. As I am discussing with my house mate this is our definition. The one who is always asked to do a lot of things. Asked to be on stage, ask to serve asked to do this and do that. The one where the pastor would be proud of and always smile around them. The one that is always centre stage in church.

Is it wrong to be the golden boy? No. Not at all. However, I would like to lay down certain ideas. Again not hinting to anyone. Just my usual theological midnight chats with my house mate that sparked this idea. So let me begin with the good part. It depends on the convictions of the individual. This is assuming that the individual understands the gospel. Because if the "golden fella" is liked by everyone because he or she is performing and doing everything right then something may be off. Because there is a danger of making it all about performance and what they are doing right in the church rather than the gospel. The "golden fella" based on that either becomes arrogant or jaded from serving too much. Because a simple idea. All the weight and stress and praises and glory is pushed and directed back to himself. 

But the gospel reminds us that we are all sinners. Righteousness is obtained by grace through faith. So first of all it is a good thing. Because as the individual's life is freedom in Christ, understanding his identity as a child of God, he/she automatically becomes a force to be reckoned with. Not by means of competition but by means of recognition. Where this person goes, he carries God's glory and not his own. Their boast can only be in Christ. Because they simply understand the Gospel.

The heroes in the Bible were failures. Average Joes. Messy people. But if you would take notice, they were fruitful in all they did because... The Spirit of the Lord was with them. That is all it took. And God was glorified. Because God had to make it clear that in our weaknesses His power is made perfect.

They know that Jesus is the bread of life and the true vine. As the imperfectly learn to remain in the Father, they will be fruitful. They then serve as a model for the rest to follow. Again, no room for arrogance to sip in. Because part of the sanctification process allows you to realize the depth of your sin to truly see the vastness og his grace and love which then leads you to an ever confidence in the character of God. Thus, living your life truly in His freedom.

So here comes the bomb. I was once told by a former mentor to not look at people with potentials to serve. Because when you start off that way then you've missed the whole point. To see them as people. So there is a tendency to see the golden individuals as potentials in hopes to one day serve the church along side its leaders and what not. It is unfair to the individual because you short change them. Because all they are to the church are potentials, tools, talented people to use. Because to lose them as a resource would be an unfortunate thing. But it is God that holds the church together not those whom you see as potentials. You fail to see them as people. Struggling with their own issues and growing in their own pace. They are people. I am suggesting there is a tendency as such not to say every single church engages in it.

Again. obviously there are many aspects to cover. The individual's self, the church culture, on and on I could go. But this is the part of the golden individuals that I would like to highlight. There is no need to affirm them and praise them. Because my personal opinion is that the idea is to lead it back to Christ. To praise God at the end. So my house mate adds do not affirm the person based on what they have done but affirming them of the gospel that it is Christ that works through them. Sometimes the better question would be "hey how are you doing" rather than saying "hey you did a good job". It is a personal opinion. There is nothing wrong with saying either one. It is just what I humbly feel. Because again, they are people. I repeat. Nothing wrong with affirming them in what they did. However it is the tendency it can lead to. These days I have to really put in the disclaimers for fears of being misunderstood. The gospel is that God died for you when you are at your worse and perfection is found in Christ. So now I can rest in his finish work on the cross.