COMMON SENSE IS TOO UNCOMMON

Why does it seem that some of the most "spiritual" pastors are the most lacking in common sense?

'Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.'Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.' Proverbs 2:3-7

Let us stipulate to start with that God does, from time to time, call people to do things that defy common sense. Going into the desert to fast for 40 days and 40 nights is not keeping with common sense. Demanding that the ruler of the most powerful nation on earth release the slaves his nation depends on for their economic well being isn't either. There are many more examples in the Bible and in our lives when God has called us to engage in actions that defy logic and reason (to move from a place of effective and well provisioned ministry to a place where the future is murky at best, for one common example). 

However, there are pastors who come to equate doing things that are illogical and ill advised with being spiritual. Let me state it clearly, they are not the same thing. A pastor I heard speak recently related how he had taken over the leadership of a church that was 5.5 million dollars in debt and did not have the income to support that obligation. He was relating to us how the pressure of that debt wore him down and wore him out. The pastor before him made choices that I am sure seemed spiritual but were not very reasonable and led to very negative effects.

This passage tells us that God "grants a treasure of common sense". It is not worldly, it is got "giving into a fleshly mindset" it is, instead, a gift from God.

So, how do we know if an idea that we have is inspired, God given, even if it is outside the box? I think it is good to interrogate our ideas with these questions:

1. What do other wise and spiritual people think? Is your leadership team in agreement with it? There is safety in wise counsel. Be sure to include those outside of your usual circle, beyond those whose livelihood depends on staying in your good graces. A clear headed, hard headed outside friend or coach who can give you input can be invaluable and bring you back to common sense.
   
   
2. Is this the right time? A decision can be good, it can even be from God but it may not be the right time to do it. Timing is, indeed, everything.
   
   
3. Is it in keeping with the path God has been taking you and the ministry on up to this point? Sometimes God changes our direction but more often we simply get tired of pursuing the same goals over the long term (the best way, by the way, of accomplishing anything) and start to look for the next, new bright shinny object.
   
   
4. Do you really have a plan, well thought out and reasonable, or just an idea? The difference between a true plan and a simple idea is the difference between a true vision and a "wouldn't it be nice" fantasy.

The wise, spirit directed leader learns to live in the tension between acting with the common sense that God values and grants and being open to those moments when the Holy Spirit directs action, with confirmation, that might seem beyond the bounds of logic. This is how you make good decisions with wisdom AND the Holy Spirit.