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2005

Ron Schwartz

Isaiah 40:31 KJV

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

It’s called “The Wait Theory.”  It’s been used for years in classroom settings where typically the same few students always participate while the majority of others sit in silence.  According to the Wait Theory, you can always expect the same few people to answer questions and fill in the silence.  The same few people comment while the others just sit silently by. 

The Wait Theory sets forth the premise that most students come to class “zoned out,” bored, and disinterested.  They have little interest in participating since they know that the meeting will proceed with or without their participation.  They know that there are others who will jump at the opportunity to participate and so they attend and are content to listen.

The Wait Theory holds that facilitators should ask a question and then wait.  Those who normally speak will pipe up as usual, but if, instead of moving right ahead, the facilitator continues to wait, another dynamic begins to occur.  A strange silence settles in, and those who are “zoned out” begin to come alert.  A realization dawns on the silent majority that something else is expected rather than the voices of the regular few.  Others begin to speak, some who have never before participated.  And the ideas and comments they share are some of the most profound thoughts ever to be shared in the classroom, ideas that may never have been realized in a regular setting.

Although somewhat different from the body of Christ, you can nevertheless see the same dynamic at work.  When the body of Christ comes together, there are those who are allowed to monopolize the time and those who are not.  Allow a few moments of silence and watch to see who fills the void.  It’s almost always the same few.

Count the seconds that transpire between the time a preacher asks if anyone has a testimony or something on their hearts and the time they move on.  Usually these seconds can be counted on one hand.  We preachers have developed no tolerance for waiting.  Could it be that we believe that God only speaks through us, therefore no one else could possibly have anything important to say?  If we don’t believe that, why do we meet together before a meeting, before God has a chance to move by His spirit, to decide which of us has “the” word from God?  Is it necessary that every meeting be pre-planned, orchestrated ahead of time?  Why not leave it up to Him to decide?

Find examples and scriptures in the Bible that have to do with the power of God, and you will inevitably find examples or instructions that call us to WAIT.  God wants us to know His power, but it must be in His time and not ours.  If God’s people are never allowed to wait, we may never realize this.

Acts 1:4 KJV

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

Luke 24:49 KJV

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

What would happen if instead of us preachers bringing our programs, we would just tarry for God’s power?  What would happen if instead of filling in the silence with our preaching, we would just wait for God to move?  What would happen if instead of us being in control, we would just once, just once, just once let go and allow God to be in control?  What would happen if when God’s people come together, the preachers would just one time be quiet and wait like everyone else?  And I’m not talking about the typical three to five seconds or even a few minutes.  What would happen if, rather than deciding who is going to get to preach, we would just wait instead? 

Psalms 25:1-5 KJV

1 Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.

2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Psalms 27:14 KJV

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Jesus gave just one instruction to His disciples prior to them receiving His power: WAIT.  Consider what they did.  Rather than wait, the first thing they did was cast lots to determine who would be the next apostle.  Doesn’t this remind us of how the first thing that many of us do is to come together (and cast lots) to “determine” whose “turn” it is to preach?  Jesus said to wait for the power.  Why not try this? 

We don’t find God’s power being manifested when they cast lots, even though I am sure that it was important to them.  It’s interesting that deciding on the next apostle was the most important and first thing that needed to be addressed.   When you put it in this perspective, it becomes difficult to understand why preachers feel that their words are so important.  Few people even remember what was said once they leave the building, but how many people remember the day an hour that they experienced a move of the Lord.  Everyone does!  We long for those times!  Yet this doesn’t stop preachers from all around the world from recording and promoting their sermons like celebrities giving away their autographs.  Many of us fall prey to this.

What would happen if we’d stop worrying and competing for right to preach, or who’s the next apostle?  What would happen if we’d just wait?  What would happen if our ambition would be to see God’s power released in our midst rather than our having a captive audience? 

The day of Pentecost is known, not because of the sermon Peter preached, but for the incredible move of God.  How do we get preachers to realize this?  How do we get through to them, to ourselves?  How do we get them to see that it isn’t about their sermons or their word?  Until they come to this realization they will forever be standing in the way of God’s power.  The next time you meet with the body of Christ ask yourself this.  Do I want people to leave here with the memory that, “brother Smith shared something today?  I think it was on giving.”   Or do you want them to leave saying, “I’ve never felt the power of God like that before?”    Perhaps we can take a lesson from the Wait Theory?

Amen.

ron@ronschwartz.net

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