The Emperor's New Clothes

Do you remember the story by Hans Christian Anderson of "The Emperor's New Clothes"?

Andersen tells the story of an emperor who was well known for his desire for new clothes. So much so that, “he spent all his money in order to obtain them; his only ambition was to be always well dressed. ... He had a coat for every hour of the day.” His appetite for new garments gave great opportunity for the unscrupulous. One day, two swindlers came to the emperor’s city and bragged of their ability to weave for him the “finest cloth to be imagined.” The emperor gave them a large sum of money and set them to the task. The suit that was to be made would not only be exceptionally beautiful, but would be unseen by those unfit for their offices or the unpardonably stupid.

All the emperor’s money and the fine materials made their way, not into the new clothes, but into the knapsacks of the two perpetrators. “How well they look! How well they fit! ... What a beautiful pattern! What fine colours! That is a magnificent suit of clothes!” the swindlers boasted to the emperor. There were, in fact, no new magnificent garments at all and the emperor paraded naked under the pretense of being adorned with his new clothes. In town, everyone was frightened to admit that they saw nothing for fear of being thought unfit or stupid. They were unable to see anything, yet who were they to say? As the emperor marched unclothed, attendants behind him with outstretched hands pretended to carry the train of his new clothes. Everyone just went along with the show.

Finally, a little child revealed the “naked truth.” “But he has nothing on at all,” the child cried. The young boy’s declaration finally permeated the crowd until all agreed, “He has nothing on at all!” Yet the emperor thought to himself, “Now I must bear up to the end,” as he and his servants marched on with even greater dignity.

My fear is that that we, as Christians, are like that crowd. While the emperor was strutting around naked as the day he was born, no one wanted to say anything or point out the obvious for fear of ridicule or seeming critical or perhaps jealous or worst of all, not "with it".

There are so-called "ministries" today that, while they may indeed have been accomplishing some good "for the sake of the Kingdom of God", they are so far off base, particularly when it comes to finances and accountability, that it should call into question their authority to continue in such ministry.

Granted there is an element here of "touch not the Lord's anointed", however I recently had a conversation with a friend who helped me work through this.

I pray for these folks. I grieve for what I see as abuses of power, authority, finances and the violence that is done to the Word of God as well as what I see as a distortion of the very nature of God for profit.

The day will come and is coming when we all must give an account. I know my shortcomings. I know my sin. I am not deceived into thinking that I "have arrived and am appointed as judge." But I am a brother. I am a follower of Christ. I am a worshiper of the One True God. Are we not called to be "watchman on the walls" (Ezekiel 3:17; 33:7)?

Your comments are always welcome!