July 30, 2015 (Thursday)
Trilby, Florida–45 miles northeast of Tampa–was named after a character in an 1894 book. Trilby was a main character. In the fiction novel, she was a young model who came under the hypnotic spell of an amoral man named Svengali.
Today the word, “Svengali,” has come to mean a person who exercises undue influence over another person, virtually taking over his/her life.
Does anyone come to your mind who is or was Svengali-like? How about Adolph Hitler? Millions of people fell into step behind him, following his charismatic leadership to death. Or Charles Manson? His followers committed murder in his name. Remember David Koresh, who held sway over the minds of hundreds and led them to a tragic end? Or Jim Jones, who transported hundreds of people to another country and then ordered them to commit suicide?
Whenever I hear of a new person on the scene, who seems to have unusual influence over others, I get bad vibes. The central fact about every cult ever known to humankind is the existence of a strong leader who pretends to have the good of others at heart but has evil intentions.
Proverbs 31 in our Bible tells of a woman who “does her husband good and not evil” all the days of her life. That phrase should apply to all leaders, especially religious leaders. When Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus, young men who aspired to the ministry, he advised, “..[I]n speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:12). “..[Y]ou should set in order the things that are lacking .. for there are many .. who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain” (Titus 1:11). He urged both of them to be good people and set proper examples as Christian leaders.
The New Testament urges us to use God-given discernment when we allow others to influence or lead us. If someone is claiming a special direct revelation from God, just remember that the Bible is complete and Jesus is the full and final revelation from God to us. When someone says, “God told me..,” beware. God gave you your own brain–use it.