I have noticed how often someone is called a great minister/pastor/bishop/warden/christian because that person is so ‘nice’.  Such a person is warm, loveable and very well liked by all.

On the other side of the same coin, anyone who is not nice, but who talks too plainly about controversial issues, is not nice and shouldn’t be respected.

How far this is away from the Biblical view of those we ought to respect.  Jesus was not nice; he spoke in a way that was often divisive and very strong. He confronted people with real issues, he didn’t massage their egos, nor did he allow them to stay within their comfort zones.

Godly Christians and godly Christian ministers of the gospel won’t be nice.  No I’m not suggesting they should be rude, arrogant and insensitive.  But they do need to speak the truth unvarnished when it really counts, when it will mean some will take offence because of what they say. Recently I became aware of a godly man who challenged someone he knew well, who was sleeping with his girlfriend.  His mate is a professing Christian and so he needed this challenge.  But the godly man who challenged him was accused of not being nice.  He was told that he might put the sinning Christian off.  What?!!!

And not being nice means being prepared to deal with controversial issues, not avoid them.  Preachers who won’t preach on 1 Timothy 2 or Deuteronomy 7 , to take two examples, may well be nice, but they will also be profoundly unfaithful.

And let’s not consider the best leaders to be the nice ones.  I want leaders who stand up for the word of God, not leaders who try to keep everyone happy.

Away with niceness.  Niceness is a terrible thing!