Faith on the Go: Ep: 11: The Curse of Familiarity: Eli's Passive Leadership and Its Generational Impact"

0:00 Hello, and welcome back to Diary of a Black Woman podcast with our Faith on the Go series. We are continuing our Curse of Familiarity. Today's title is The Priests Who Forgot to Fear, Eli and the Danger of Passive Leadership While Allowing Compromise in Sacred Spaces Destroy Generations. Welcome to Faith on the Go with me, your host, Connie Morris, where we keep it real, raw, and rooted in the Word. If you ever looked the other way when something wasn't right in your home, if you ever stayed silent when God called you to speak up, or if you've grown numb in the very place you were once anointed to protect, This episode is for you.

0:59 We're continuing our bold series, The Curse of Familiarity, and today we're diving into the story of Eli the priest, a man who served in the house of God but forgot how to fear him. Eli didn't commit the sin himself, but he refused to confront them, and because of his passivity, generations paid the price. So what happens when we get too comfortable with what's sacred? What happens when we allow disobedience in the name of keeping the peace? Let's talk about it. Because in 2025, we're not just attending church.

1:40 We're being accountable for what happens in it. This is faith on the go. We'll talk, we'll growth, wherever you are. Let's turn to 1 Samuel 2, verses 12-17, 22-25, in chapter 3. Verse 13, Eli's son were scoundrels. They had no regard for the Lord. That's 1 Samuel 2.12. And we learned that scoundrels were belial, that they were acting like the devil. They were taking the sacrifices of the people, dishonoring God in the tabernacle.

2:23 They slept with the women at the entrance to the tent of meetings. And everyone knew it, including Eli. But Eli only rebuked them. He didn't remove them. He warned them, but didn't act. In 1 Samuel 13, God says, I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about. His son blasphemy the God, and he failed to restrain them. Wow. God told you God is in the room. And so if God is in the room and he's watching and see if Eli will punish his sons, and then God says, I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about.

3:16 His sons blaspheming God and he failed to restrain him. Eli became so used to being in the presence of God that he lost the fear of God. He allowed dishonor to live in his house because confronting it, it felt too costly. And here's that danger. Passive leadership breeds generational destruction. God didn't just judge Hophni and Phinehas. He judged Eli too. What family secrets are you holding that are protecting the children? You know the children are disobedient, not just to you, but to God.

4:01 God is in the room. So God knows how you're protecting those children. That needs just discipline so that it will not curse the generation. And we know the story that Havni and Phinehas, that since Eli couldn't do the punishment, guess what? God did and they died. Right where they worked, you know. And a lot of times when I'm seeing, hearing about death and where people die, it's like when you know your children are being disobedient, it's best for you to check them.

4:42 Correct them, discipline them, talk to them, do what you can to stop them. Because if it goes way too far into this blasphemy in the Lord, God will respect his name. He will not allow his name to be mocked. He will not allow that. They're sleeping with the women at the church. Think about that. If you are a pastor or you're a pastor's wife, because this is usually a women's podcast, but if you know that's happening in the church and you do nothing, remember his sons not only died, but he died.

5:23 Remember, all that whole family, it says forever. You won't hear about that family. They're not having kids' generation that tell their story. That family was wiped out. That's it. You know, I hear stories on the news about how a mother loses mostly all their sons in some crazy incident. Maybe shooting or just fluke incidents. Because something is going on in that home. That has to be rooted out. Remember, the male carries the seed and the generation may be cursed. We don't want to always talk about that. And so you know that kids are off doing something wrong.

6:08 Got it in the room. You better talk to God about it. Because God has a way of changing the hearts of the children. Eli is the first person that has the opportunity to change it. He kept those kids, his sons, still knowing what they were doing at the altar, the holy altar of God. He kept them there. He could have removed them and says, Okay, you guys are disrespecting the Lord. You can go do something else in the church like mop the floors. You do not get to be at the altar serving the holy church. Sacrifices. That will no longer be your responsibility. But many times, we don't want our kids mad at us.

6:55 But many times, they need to be mad at us because we're saving their lives. We're forcing them to grow up. You know, we want to keep this peace and keep our kids happy. When we were kids, we weren't happy. Our mom and dad made us grow up. We were uncomfortable all the time. If you remember, we forget. And then we want to always comfort our children and not tell them the truth. You know, we need to do that, especially if you are a pastor's wife in the church and you see some stuff going on that you know that doesn't honor God, especially with the kids. You know, I was on staff, especially as a retired police officer, and I wasn't retired at the time I was serving in the ministry, people let their kids all run around the church like it's a playground.

7:48 No, they need to walk. This is not a playground. This is holy ground. Yeah, let's get that together. Then the parents want to roll their eyes at you like you did something wrong. No, you take your child outside. Then you go to their house. You got to take off your shoes and you got to do all this stuff. But when you're at the church, your child is what? They can't run around their own house now. I mean, talk to me about that. So you have to, you must, you must discipline your own children. So let's talk about it. So let's make it plain. Parents who go to church but ignore rebellion at home. I was just about to go there.

8:28 Pastors who preach truth but refuse to correct their inner circle. Leaders who protect titles more than they protect truth. Christians who sin, see sin, but say, it's not my place to judge. Christians who see sin, but it's not my place to judge. We're not called to be harsh, but we're called to be holy. Eli's failure wasn't in loving his son. It was letting love override obedience. Many times when we love our son, we have to be able, our sons, our daughters, we have to be able to be honest and truthful and maybe discipline them. not maybe, we must discipline them.

9:13 Because that's our job as parents, to say that's not right. And if they do it again, they are out of there. So they don't get to be part of the legacy of the church because you are acting a fool. And most of the time, as you know, church kids, because we spend so much time at the church, they don't get a chance to honor the church. Why? Because it grows so familiar to them. Unless you're teaching them that at home, that church atmosphere is so familiar. They don't grow up in the church. I mean, you want to understand that God's presence is there, right? You want them to grow up honoring the church. Let's just keep going.

9:55 Four ways to break the curse of passive leadership. Eli was just passive. He loves his son so much, but he didn't love him as much as he loved him more than he loved the Lord. And I think that can be a problem too. And you know, let's just take a pause here. I'm thinking. We all have, I don't know if everybody has children that's listening to this podcast, but if you ask the Lord, Lord, my kids are acting up, what can I do? What do you want me to do? What's the plan? He will tell you, this is what I want you to do. Remember, he's in the room. Remove them from that position for a season, and I'll take care of it.

10:37 And so that means that you would put him first. I mean, it might get ugly. It might just get a little nasty, and they're going to be mad at you. But I guarantee you that once they understand that God deserves to be honored, That's a lesson they will never, ever forget. Because if they're called to the ministry and you set them down early and you allow God to minister to them and to get their hearts right, oh my gosh, they will be long-term ministers forever. Why? Because they were corrected at the right time.

11:18 And they will correct their children. And their children will correct their children. And you won't have this Eli passive leadership because you stood up. And a lot of times we're so afraid of our children being angry with us. We are the parents. They can be angry, but don't sin. I mean, if you don't like it, you can leave the church. And when you grow up, you can come back. You know, I guarantee you that they will learn. God, give them to Jesus. They, Jesus can handle it. Give them to Jesus. Don't let it cost you your life because you refuse to honor his presence.

12:01 I got a little emotional there because that's so serious. Let's go. How do you break this passive leadership? Number one, call it out. Don't cover it up. Ephesians 5.11 tells us, have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose it. Love speaks truth even when it's uncomfortable. Number two, choose obedience over opinion. Am I now trying to win approval of human beings or of God? Galatians 1.10 says, do you want to be, come on now here. Am I trying to win approval of humans or of God?

12:47 Galatians 1.10, you have to decide. You're going to have to trust God with this one. That's going to be a hard decision, especially if you are the father and you know your sons are going to carry your legacy. They can't carry a legacy doing stuff like that at the church. They need to sit down. Number three, protect the house of God like it's holy because it is. John 2.17 says, zeal for your house has consumed me. It's not just about church attendance. It's about sacred stewardship. It is holy. Remember, God is in the room. Lead with fear and fire, not familiarity.

13:33 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, Proverbs 9.10. So think about this. The conviction of the sons of Eli had grown cold. Eli loved the kids so much that he refused to discipline. We can think of that even if it's not in the church. How many adult children or even children that the parents love them so much that they refuse to discipline them. And then they end up, you know, dead. You know, you know, not a good thing. And then let's go back over those real quick. How do we curse passive leadership?

14:15 We call it out, don't cover it up. We choose obedience over opinion. We choose obedience to God over opinion of people. And then protect the house of God like it's holy because it is. And lead with fear. And fire, not familiarity. Eli sat in the house of God and still missed the voice of God. His familiarity dulled his discernment, and because he tolerated sin, he forfeited legacy. He also forfeited his life, his son's life. So let this be a warning in 2025.

14:56 Don't let love become a license for compromise. Don't let fear of confrontation rob you of obedience, and don't let your silence cost someone else their salvation. Don't let the love become a license for compromise. Don't let fear of confrontation rob you of obedience. And don't let the silence cost someone else their salvation. Let's pray. Lord, I repent of the times I stay silent when you call me to speak. Forgive me for tolerating what you told me to confront. Restore holy reverence in my life.

15:39 Help me lead with courage and not comfort. Make me a protector of your presence, not a passive bystander. In Jesus' name, amen. This has been Faith on the Go with your host, Connie Morris. And remember, familiarity will make you passive, but fear of the Lord will make you powerful. Be bold, be obedient, and don't let what's sacred become routine. Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this with someone who has been avoiding a hard conversation. You can connect with me on the Diary of Black Women podcast on Instagram or X and visit my website, DiaryOfBlackWomen at LLC.com for more devotionals, teaching, and tools to keep you, keep your walk real.

16:29 Until next time, stay sharp, stay surrendered, keep walking with faith on the go.