by Rev. Henry Green-- Ethics, making responsible decisions, must be internalized long before a crisis ever occurs.

  Leadership is more than winning games, making money, or becoming famous.  Jesus said, referring to those who harm little ones, “it would be better for a millstone to be tied around their neck and cast into the sea...” 

The tragedy that has consumed the college sports world with the arrest of the former defensive football coach of Penn State University, Gerry Sandusky, on charges of pedophilia, the subsequent resignations of the president of Penn State and others on his staff, the firing of the legendary head football coach of Penn State, Joe Paterno, and other coaches on his staff has exposed a system in need of reform.  It is safe to say that what happened at Penn State should not be considered the norm, nor should it be considered an indictment on all college athletic programs.  It has, however, cast a dark cloud over the current football season and this monumental nightmare for the Penn State community is the perfect opportunity for universities, high schools, and athletic programs everywhere to do inventories of their ethics policies.  It is a sad day for the Penn State community.  I pray that the Board of Directors will continue to take the high road and that other Universities around the country learn from this tragedy. 

There is something counterintuitive that we must understand about a situation like the one that has happened at Penn State, or, for that matter, churches and other institutions responsible for the welfare of children that are (or potentially) faced with similar circumstances.  If you want to protect an institution it is necessary for the leadership of that institution to protect “the least among you” and they are always the most vulnerable.  When a situation is discovered, the very first thing you do is call 911 and protect the innocent from harm.  You do not report it to the next person up the “chain of command” and then step back with the false satisfaction that you are now absolved from any further responsibility.  They may be more interested in the institution than the child (or vulnerable person).  No, if you witness a child being harmed in any way, you have an obligation to act swiftly.  The institution you represent will be better off.  If the leadership does not understand, you may want to consider new employment.  Why would anyone want to work for an institution with management that is ethically bankrupt?    

I realize this is not a pleasant topic for this season of the year.  Yet, when you think about it, God came into this world as a vulnerable child in a manger to a poor family struggling in the midst of the poverty of their day.  God came to identify with our vulnerability and our poverty.  Our identification with this God in Christ opens the door to eternal life and offers a path for being the presence Christ to others in the present day.  When greed and legacy are more important than the needs of the vulnerable, the witness of the church must be to act on behalf of the vulnerable and seek justice for all concerned.  If a child is harmed, they should be made whole.  If an adult harms a child, “it would be better for them to have a millstone tied around their neck and cast into the depth of the sea!”

This Christmas, let us stand with Christ in protecting the needs of the vulnerable subject to abuse, and care for those in poverty.  Let us celebrate the joy of Christmas by bringing the peace of Christ to others.

Please join with us as we celebrate the birth of our Lord this Advent and Christmas season at Heritage.  Our services will inspire you through wonderful music and offer a message of hope through the spoken word. 

Merry Christmas,    

Henry