SCANDAL... redeemed!

"What does it matter?  Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice."

(Philippians 1:18)

A few years ago, Hillsong produced a very powerful song, 'HEALER.'  It speaks of how God is everything one needs - and can heal anything (or anyone) who's broken, sick, etc.  In the height of the song's popularity, scandal broke out.  The man who wrote & performed the song (a Church leader in Australia) needed an oxygen tank to sing it, as he was suffering from a debilitating & life-threatening disease.  It was quite moving to hear his testimony & see his determination to praise God in the midst of his challenges.  What was scandalous, however, was the shocking realization that he wasn't really sick at all... he was making it all up for effect!  Not only that, but people had been giving him donations to help with his medical bills & treatment.  Ouch.  Fraud.  Manipulating & misleading the faithful for personal gain.  Yikes.

I remember feeling guilty still liking the song.  As if the sin in which the song was birthed was supposed to negate its message.  But I couldn't help it.  It was a great song ("I believe You're my healer.  I believe You're more than enough for me.  Jesus, You're all I need!").

In my reading today from Philippians 1, Paul gives me permission to not feel guilty about this song!  He was writing to the believers in Philippi, telling them his recent imprisonment has actually given him MORE opportunities to share the gospel with others!  Not only that, but other people have been proclaiming the gospel in an attempt to prolong Paul's suffering.  I don't know the details, but Paul assures us that their hearts are NOT in the right place.

"BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER," Paul continues.  Whether God is proclaimed through pure or impure motives doesn't matter.  The bottom line is that GOD IS PROCLAIMED.  Period.  God is big enough to use whatever testimony is made to change hearts!

So it's okay to like the song, "Healer."  Who knows, God might even heal the one who took his name in vain by creating this song in deception?!  For Jesus is indeed more than enough for us all.  (Amen to that!)