1 Kings 11:1
But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
We often hear about people covering up sin and the need to clean it up. Of course, I believe very few pastors or ministries are guilty of covering up sin. However, I have discovered one of the greatest coverups in Christianity, a coverup that affects thousands of people today.
God shows us a sin of Solomon that had been covered up. We read, But king Solomon loved many strange women…. This did not just happen when Solomon was an old man, but this happened when he was a young man. However, God did not destroy Solomon because of this; instead, God used him despite his great weakness. Don't miss this! God was able to cover up his weakness for many years by bringing out the gold in Solomon so that He could use him to do a great work. The weakness that Solomon had was a weakness he had throughout his adult life. Did God condone this sin? NO! However, God used him despite this and brought out the gold in him and let the gold outshine his weaknesses.
I am often asked why people who worked with great men or were under a great man of God could compromise as we see many do today. My answer is that great leadership has a way of bringing the gold out of weakness and magnifies the gold instead of destroying them because of their weakness. One of the great responsibilities of leadership is to bring the gold out of people despite their weaknesses. If we had to wait until we had perfect people to use, we would never have anyone to use because everyone has weaknesses. If a good leader makes it his habit to find the gold in people and magnify that gold, he will find people who can be used far beyond what they would be used on their own because of their many weaknesses.
This is what God does with His children. Let’s face it: there are more weaknesses in most of us than there is gold. However, God is willing to use the gold in us despite our weaknesses. Look at the Apostle Peter who Christ used; He used him despite his cursing mouth, lack of dependability, lack of faithfulness, and his hot temper. Did God condone these sins? NO! However, God used the gold in Peter until he conquered these sins. God is more interested in using the gold in every person no matter how little that gold may be in all of us. God can magnify the gold in each of us despite the plethora of sins and weaknesses we all have. In reality, this is the greatest coverup of all time, but I am thankful that God is willing to bring the gold out of us to let it cover up our many weaknesses.
Leaders and believers, this is the key to growing people. If you will bring the gold out of people, that gold can outshine the many weaknesses that many have. In every person there is gold, and your job is to find that gold and use it to its capacity so that it outshines their weaknesses.
To those who someone is allowing the gold in you to cover up your weaknesses, you need to work on your weaknesses because one day those weaknesses will destroy you like they did Solomon if you don't get rid of them. The gold that others are bringing out in you can only cover up your weaknesses for so long. Correct your weaknesses so the gold can continue to shine once the leader who exposed your gold has gone to Heaven.
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