Beware of 'Angry Clergy'

"Now the priest Pashhur son of Immen, who was the chief officer in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. Then Pashhur struck the prophet Jeremiah, and put him in stocks..."

(Jeremiah 20:1-2)

There's a certain amount of authority and respect that comes to me as a pastor - an ordained minister. When people learn that I'm a clergy person, many afford varying degrees of credence to what I say. For better or for worse, it is what it is. I am, though, all too human. And assassinate as I may be about certain issues (and my interpretation/understanding of Scripture), I have to be aware that I could be wrong (gasp!).

I was reminded of this truth today while reading Jeremiah. If there was a list of the most popular messengers of God, Jeremiah would NOT be on that list. Not by a longshot! The poor guy ate a meal of rejection for breakfast, lunch and dinner... daily!

In chapter 20, the chief priest, Pashhur, "takes umbrage" with what Jeremiah had to say. So does he pull him aside and correct him in private? No. Does he call him into the priests' office to scold him? No. Does he publicly denounce Jeremiah in a scathing letter to the editor? No. Instead, he punches Jeremiah in the face. (Yes, you read that right!). Pashhur is so angry at what Jeremiah is preaching that he literally hauls off and hits the prophet. THEN he puts Jeremiah in prison - in the stocks! Yikes.

Of course, we have the perspective of time to see the Jeremiah, not Pashhur, was in the right. But Pashhur couldn't see that. He let his emotions overwhelm his common sense. Which brings me to my spiritual insight of the day: Beware of angry preachers! We get our dander all worked up and lose sight of common sense, sometimes. We're called to give prophetic witness to the community in which God has placed us, and so we should! But beware when we lose perspective of the big picture. Yes, we may be ordained and have the opportunity to speak on behalf of God. But that doesn't mean EVERYTHING that comes out of our mouths (or fists!) is divinely inspired.

(Lord, help me.)