Characteristics of a Committed Christian-Part 1

Thursday, June 16, 2011

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master."

Luke 6:39-40

Men will disappoint you, but following God never leads to disappointment.

The name Eli Black may mean little to most of us, but to those in the world of business in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was the mastermind behind some of the world's biggest company takeovers. He began his career as an investment banker with the Lehmann Brothers Corporation then moved on to the American Securities Corporation where he worked on financing with the American Seal-Kap Company, a company that made milk caps. Soon he was promoted to be the chairman and chief executive officer of the capping company, opening him to the world of business administration.

Black proved very effective in running the corporation which he renamed AMK (a tribute to the company's stock symbol) and made the company into a vehicle for acquisitions. Black led the company to take over some big companies during the 1960s and by 1967, AMK had joined the top 500 companies in the nation. Many CEOs and company executives agreed to buy-outs and mergers with AMK because of Black's charisma as a leader. They followed his plan for acquisition and soon found themselves in partnership with Black.

Yet Black's leadership took a turn for the worse in the next decade. AMK merged with United Fruit Company in 1970 and soon Black found himself in a pile of debt. Black soon found that United Fruit had far less capital than he believed and rather than cutting his losses, Black convinced investors he could right the ship. Couple that fact with Hurricane Fifi in 1974 that destroyed many of United Fruits' banana farms in Honduras, and the empire Black had built was in distress. Then in 1975 the Securities and Exchange Commission uncovered a two and a half million dollar bribe Eli Black and United Fruit had paid to Honduran president Oswaldo Lopez in exchange for lower taxes on banana exports. Black's corporation soon crumbled, and Black found himself in trouble with the government for several underhanded deals. Investors never had any idea Black was leading them astray.

Think of all the companies, businessmen, colleagues, and employees who faithfully followed Black for years. Think of the CEOs and executives who had trusted him and signed over their companies to him. They had all been following a man corrupt in dealings and underhanded in business.

Following men and placing them as leaders in your lives will often lead to letdown and disappointment. Realize that human beings are imperfect in their very nature. No matter how well-intentioned or dedicated someone is, they are still prone to failure.

Today we begin a look at characteristics of a committed Christian. What traits do faithful Christians possess that help them remain committed to God's path? First, today notice the trait of followership, "And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master."

Who are you allowing to direct your life? Who have you placed as your guide? Don't follow someone based on their position or charisma. Commit to following Christ and those who live according to His Word. Remember that men will disappoint you, but following God never leads to disappointment.