“We are careful to be honourable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honourable.” (2 Corinthians 8:21)

The Senior Pastor summoned the volunteer leaders of the youth ministry to his office and told them that they were being asked to step down.

The couple was totally shocked at this unexpected development and wondered why.

He replied: “It has come to my attention that you have bought a house together and moved in months ahead of your upcoming marriage.”

“But, Pastor”, they protested, “We are not sleeping together. We are simply living under the same roof. We are totally honouring God in this relationship.”

“I am by no means questioning the purity of your relationship,” he replied. “But your decision has jeopardized your ability to lead our impressionable youth. Therefore unless you are prepared to change your living arrangements, I am not prepared to let you continue serving as youth ministry leaders.”

The couple did not see anything wrong with what they were doing. After all, they were doing nothing wrong. So, they chose to relinquish the leadership of the ministry rather than reconsider their decision. Eventually, they stopped being part of that church altogether.

If you were the Senior Pastor facing the same situation, how would you respond?

Although he did not state it explicitly, he was simply following the principle laid out by the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 8:21: “We are careful to be honourable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honourable.”

Paul took his calling very seriously. In the first place, he would not compromise his standing with the Lord by doing something that would be dishonourable. But he would not stop there. He would just as carefully ensure that it was apparent, obvious, visible, transparent to everyone else that he was beyond reproach.

That is a lofty standard to set for oneself, wouldn’t you say?

In this specific instance, Paul was talking not about sexual conduct, but financial stewardship. He had been entrusted with taking a huge gift from the Macedonian churches to Jerusalem. It was quite a responsibility.

Paul, of course, was going to be honourable before the Lord in handling other people’s money. But he was also going to make sure that it was evident to those travelling with him. He did not want to even put himself in a position where anyone could accuse him of some kind of impropriety.

We are not told what specific steps he took, but that he took them is an undeniable fact.

Sadly, many ministries today are reluctant to be transparent with their finances. When troubling reports surface about how the money that has been entrusted to them is being spent, there is usually an attempt to justify the expenditure or a simple “no comment.” Or worse: “That is a private matter.” Rarely is there total disclosure.

We are not judging whether someone is pure before the Lord or not, but wouldn’t it be better to also let others see that everything is above board?

Dear DWOD friend, as you keep on advancing toward your destiny, you will also reach higher levels of success. You too will be entrusted with more fiscal, moral, ethical and social responsibility.  Would you make sure that transparent accountability is an integral part of your life in all areas?

Then you too can hold your head high and declare as did the apostle Paul: “We are careful to be honourable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honourable.”