The Commandment Of Confrontation

But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord." (Jeremiah 1:7-8)
If you are in the role of leadership in your local church, do you have a fear, that you are not strong enough to lead?  Maybe it is the fear of dealing with difficult people. The fear of confrontation. I feel that fear. You know what the people need to hear concerning God's Word, and yet you worry about what the response will be. Jeremiah felt that fear. He felt that the people of Israel would not listen to him. But God commanded him to go to the people, and tell them what He wanted them to hear. He assured Jeremiah; "Don't be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the Lord." (v.8) Are we trying to play it safe? Or are we being obedient to the Lord, and standing up for what we know to be the will of God, for the people we are leading. Yes, it is a matter of faith. Trusting that God will take care of you, even though what may happen after you share the truth, will not be good. But we have to believe the promise of the words of the Apostle Paul when he said: "And we know that all things work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) I have heard that leaders are like the ships of old. They were made from the lumber of trees that stood the test of severe storms, and the environment. As leaders in our local churches, we are going to have to be made of tough material, because we will be called to take on some tough challenges, that lie ahead. GP