Everyone likes a direct, bold, courageous preacher until that preacher disagrees with them directly, boldly, and courageously.

Everyone likes convicting preaching, until the preacher turns to an issue about which they should feel conviction.

Many of us laud fearlessness in spiritual leaders. That is, until those leaders demonstrate that they don't fear us and aren't enslaved to our priorities for them.

Courage is commended in pastors, so long as it's evidenced in standing up to people that we're against too. But when they stand up to us, their courage becomes harshness and insensitivity and a lack of love.

See, we all enjoy hard words and hot takes that take aim at issues we deem problematic, but when those hard words are aimed at issues we deem as important, we seldom show appreciation for the ones who deliver such messages.

Seems to me that not many of us are actually concerned with having leaders that are truly courageous, truly fearless, and truly devoted to the glory of God above the praise and adoration of men, as we so often claim.

Rather, what many of us really want - perhaps most of us - is leaders who agree with us & tell us frequently of the things we are most excited to hear.

That is to say, not many of us really want to be led, & taught, & instructed, & exhorted. Instead, we just want to be affirmed.

And that desire for affirmation from our leaders, while understandable in some ways, is also a dangerous impulse. Are you willing to really listen to words that confront you and that challenge your thinking?

Or is the mark of a great spiritual leader that he/she is one who leads you into battles that you already believe need to be fought?

Christians, I'm directing that question to all of us. Self included.

If you only listen to teachers/preachers/pastors/writers on the points where they agree w/ you, what that really means is that the only teacher you'll learn from, the only preacher you'll listen to, the only pastor you'll let feed you, & the only writer you'll read - is yourself.

And in case you didn't know, that ain't a good way to live.

And to be clear, Christians of all tribes do this sort of thing. *All* tribes.

Bottom line: When we stop listening to anyone & everyone who challenges conclusions that we have come to embrace, we stop learning. Learning requires listening. And yes, you CAN listen w/out agreeing.