Locusts

Joel 2:25 I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten- the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm- my great army that I sent among you.

Some churches are plagued by spiritual locusts, who are people that devour the resources of the congregation, always looking for something to better their circumstances, but never making themselves available to give of their own time, talents and treasures to other people with similar needs. They look to the church to supply their every wants, so that they can live happier, healthier, and more fruitful lives. Sometimes they even expect the church to support their bad habits, obsessions and addictions, by offering them unlimited forgiveness and grace, without requiring them to repent, change or alter their life-styles.

Locusts are a menace to many communities around the world because they cause famine, ruin the soil, and blight the land. Church locusts do the same. They devour all of the goodness that’s in a congregation and leave people empty in spirit. They want to ensure that their own requirements are met first and foremost, without ever asking what the bigger picture is, or what’s best for the whole community. Instead of adding to the joy and growth of the church, they cause it to be a parched, barren place, bereft of benevolence, and empty of love. And once they get what they want and have devoured all that’s available, they move on to some other place, seeking to do the same.

Combating locusts usually involves chemical pesticides, but scientists are now looking into interrupting their life cycle changes. If the researchers can find a way to alter the locusts’ behavior patterns, then they may be able to stop the potential for damage. Scientists around the world are working together on this problem, and eventually they hope to find the right solution to this devastating dilemma.

Congregations need to do the same. They need to unite and defend themselves against locusts, ensuring that destructive behavior does not blight the spiritual well-being of the church. If a way can be found to break selfish habits and damaging patterns, then all may be well with the church. But if not, then spiritual pesticides may have to be employed which, according to Paul and Christ, may involve rebuke and redirection, exclusion and excommunication.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes our churches’ sense of fair-play and notion of grace unfortunately leads to excuse and abuse, dysfunctioning and enabling. In those weak moments, locusts can descend among us and devour all the spiritual goodness in our lives. Deliver us from such evil, and lead us towards a better path and brighter hope. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.