Lessons From Joe Paterno & The Penn State Sex Abuse Matter

 

Lessons From Joe Paterno & the Penn State Sex Abuse Matter

It's sad to see a man with such a successful leadership career as a college football coach end so abruptly and badly.  More sad is the abuse that innocent children suffered, with no leader to defend them.

There are two lessons we as Maverick Dads can take from this tragedy: 

• First, we must stay close to God and His Word, humbly realizing our true need of Him to keep us on the right path as leaders.  Never let pride deceive us into living a life without Him.  Paul said, "that in me.......that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing."  We are no better, as far as what our flesh is capable of, than Paul or Joe Paterno.  To trust our leadership abilities apart from God is to begin down the road of destruction.  It takes years to establish one's character and reputation, yet only minutes to destroy it.
• Secondly, as we see in Proverbs 25:2 - "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter."  It is the job of kings/leaders to search out a matter.  Leaders do not have the luxury of looking the other way.  It is our responsibility before God, when there is a mess, to roll up our sleeves and get to the bottom of the situation.  It is our responsibility to make sure that justice is served to evil doers.  In fact, according to Ecclesiastes 8:11 -  "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil."  We grow the evil and its reach when we move slowly on matters of "sin in the camp".  

Let's be diligent as leaders today to rule justly over our homes as well as the other areas that God has entrusted to us for Him.

Blessings,

Johnny B.