It was Karl Marx who said capitalism contains the seeds of its own destruction. The very thing that makes it effective – the creation of wealth – will cause it to implode on itself. Systems often do and individuals as well. As Oswald Chambers said, it is not our weaknesses that cause us to sin because we know them and guard against them. It is the overuse and overconfidence in our strengths. “Unguarded strength is actually a double weakness, because that is where the least likely temptations will be effective in sapping strength. The Bible characters stumbled over their strong points, never their weak ones.”
As you know, I do not often make direct references to current events. I try to stick to the text and let you draw your own conclusions. That is especially true working through the book of Proverbs as it is certainly tempting for me to say, “Look at them. No one could personify better what Scripture calls a fool.”
But this morning I want us to look at what is called a cautionary tale in the recent events around Jerry Falwell, Jr. I am not going to discuss his politics. This could happen to anyone on the left or the right. In fact, it does. I am not going to pile on or offer cheap grace. His is an account of the distortions of power and position. It is about unguarded strength leading to a fall.
I know something about being the son of an accomplished father. I know the stresses and the opportunities. I have often thought about the Greek myth of Icarus because it illustrates this so well.
Icarus was the son of the famous craftsman Daedalus in Greek mythology. His father was the creator of the Labyrinth, a huge maze located under the court of King Minos of Crete, where the Minotaur, a half-man half-bull creature lived. In order for the secret of the Labyrinth to be kept, Minos had then imprisoned Daedalus and Icarus in a tower above his palace. Daedalus managed to create two sets of wings for himself and his son, that were made of feathers glued together with wax. He taught Icarus how to fly and warned him not to fly too high, which would cause the wax to melt, nor too low, which would cause the feathers to get wet with sea water. Together, they flew out of the tower towards freedom. However, Icarus soon forgot his father’s warnings, and started flying higher and higher, until the wax started melting under the scorching sun. His wings dissolved and he fell into the sea and drowned.”
Jerry Falwell’s father, like Daedalus, was a famous builder and, in some ways, his son was both an inheritor and a prisoner. He had a legacy to carry but it was also a springboard enjoyed by few. He had wings and ambition. He had advantages and handicaps
Proverbs 29:1 reads – “A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed – without remedy.” Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase puts it this way:
“For people who hate discipline
and only get more stubborn,
There’ll come a day when life tumbles in and they break,
but by then it’ll be too late to help them.”
That describes well the last several years of Jerry Falwell’s life. He has played with fire, demeaned people who disagreed with him, relished being a part of the political powers, and tempted the fates over and over with his antics – especially this last one in the photo that was all over the news. It has been a long game of “catch me if you can.”
When Mark DeMoss, then the chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Liberty and long time confidant of Jerry Falwell, Sr. resigned from the Board four years ago he made it clear that he was very concerned about Jerry endorsing someone whose behavior Mark considered to be clearly contrary to Christian values. Having a 40 year long relationship with Liberty and Jerry Falwell, Sr. he could not imagine Jerry’s father approving of the behavior or endorsing the candidate.
Others who have left the University or been pushed out describe similar erratic behavior as we have seen this week. It has been a progressive meltdown that for people not familiar with the personalities seems like a sudden destruction – but it is not. It is a very talented but unrestrained man flying too close to the sun. It is a man whose great skills, business acumen, focus, confidence and perseverance had become unguarded strengths leading to a very public fall.
Jerry was surrounded by men and women who would not call him to account – or he would not listen to them. He had no Nathan or Paul in his life to tell him the truth. People close to him protected him – even flattered him for his antics. “Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet.” (Proverbs 29:5) They set him up while protecting their own positions and standing.
He threatened to arrest or sue people with whom he disagreed or who challenged him. Proverbs 29:11 reads, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” Proverbs 29:8 reads, “Mockers stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger.” Proverbs 29:20 reads, “Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Proverbs 29:22 reads, “An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.”
He surrounded himself with people who not only flattered but lies for him. We have yet to see what the effect of that will be on Liberty as an institution but it will be sure to come. Just as it was with WillowCreek after Bill Hybels was forced to resign. The institutional rot caused others to resign as well. Proverbs 29:12 reads, “If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.” Why is that? Because they know he will not listen to the truth so they tell him lies and become corrupt themselves. They only accelerate his destruction.
Jerry refused to adhere to the rules of his own making for Liberty and felt himself above his own law. As some students have noted, if they had done what he has they would have been disciplined or dismissed long ago. “Proverbs 29:18 reads, “Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.” That does not mean the large vision of a man. It means a revelation of God’s words incorporated into the life of people. When people do not see consistency in a leader they throw off their restraints and do the same. People really do play follow the leader.
For centuries, children have been taught what is right by telling stories about what is wrong. We call these “cautionary tales” and we are all familiar with “Hansel and Gretel”, “Jack and the Beanstalk” or “Little Red Riding Hood.” These are not stories told to entertain only. They are stories for teaching children about morals and the certain dangers that come with living carelessly. They are stories that teach principles and wisdom about the world. They are not horror stories like we have today in “The Ring” or “Silence of the Lambs.” These are not tales with a lesson to teach. Unlike horror stories, main characters in cautionary tales are not moral monsters or deviants but people much like us who test the rules. Otherwise, it would be impossible to recognize ourselves in them and the purpose of the tale would be lost. I can see myself as Hansel or Jack not just as a child but even now.
I can see myself in Jerry Falwell. I think you can see the same for yourself. He is not a monster. He is not evil. He is a man who has allowed pride, ambition, position, and entitlement to capture his life. He is not a damned soul. He is a soul who has lost his way.
Can he come back? The Board describes it as an indefinite leave of absence. That is a good thing and I am hopeful that Jerry and his family will use it as a gift to get his bearings again. I don’t know how far back in his life he will need to go for that. I don’t know if he will come back too soon as some Christian leaders have claiming they have repented and are now restored to ministry. They fall into a pit deeper than the first more often than not. I hope the institution itself is not permanently affected but it does happen when a family dynasty disintegrates and there is no leadership in the wings.
I hope all of us can read Proverbs 29 with fresh eyes and realize these are not trite sayings for another time. They are true for today just as much as they were when written and they will be true forever.
Neil Gaman wrote:
You see, evil always contains the seeds of its own destruction. It is ultimately negative, and therefore encompasses its downfall even at its moments of apparent triumph. No matter how grandiose, how well-planned, how apparently foolproof of an evil plan, the inherent sinfulness will by definition rebound upon its instigators. No matter how apparently successful it may seem upon the way, at the end it will wreck itself. It will founder upon the rocks of iniquity and sink headfirst to vanish without trace into the seas of oblivion.”
‘When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.”
“When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice..” and “a man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father.”
That is my hope for Jerry Falwell, Jr.and Liberty University.