If you are one who visits others, you need to be balanced a little by administration. If you are one who administrates, you need to be balanced a little by the ministry of the Word. If you are one who ministers the Word, you should be balanced a little by administration. If you are one who cares for the spiritual direction among the brothers and sisters, you should be balanced a little by the gospel. If you are one who is very zealous for the preaching of the gospel, you have to be balanced a little by the administration of the church and the edification of the saints. In the coordination, we have to learn to be balanced all the time. Do not be like Martha, who accused Mary before the Lord and complained that she did everything and that Mary did nothing, except to sit at His feet to listen to His preaching! To be balanced is a serious factor in coordination. We have to be so balanced that whatever the brothers and sisters do, as long as they would not cause an obvious offense to the Lord, we will accept it.
For example, a brother may suggest that we preach the gospel. We should try our best to accept this suggestion. If another brother suggests a Bible study, we should also try our best to accept it. You have to accept the suggestions to such an extent that others will realize that it is not a rejection of the idea of gospel preaching, but a lack of time that there is no gospel preaching, and it is not a refusal to have a Bible study, but an impossibility in the schedule that there is no Bible study. However, you must not take this as an excuse to be a politician. What does it mean to take an excuse to be a politician? Suppose a brother suggests to you to have a Bible study. You do not like Bible studies, and you have no intention of accepting this proposal anyway. According to your choice, you would rather pray. However, you are a politician, and you take an excuse by saying that Monday is a meeting for the responsible brothers, Tuesday is prayer meeting, Wednesday is a meeting for beginners, Thursday is for gospel preaching, and Friday and Saturday are for such-and-such events, that there is therefore no more time. You know in your heart that you are lying to your brother. Within you, it is not a question of being too busy, but a question of unwillingness to accept the suggestion; you are merely taking an excuse. Please remember that the first time you take an excuse, the others may not notice it. But sooner or later, others will notice it. We cannot deceive even our children all the time. How much less can we deceive a grown-up? The first time you lie to others, they may believe you. But the next time you give them the same thing, they will know that you are being cunning, that you are taking an excuse, and that you are a politician. For this reason, the elders have to learn to accept something from their hearts. If they really cannot accept something, they can keep silence. Otherwise, they should tell others honestly, "Brother, I do not agree with having a Bible study." Do not take an excuse and be a politician, making political statements. I can tell the brothers and sisters soberly that in the past years, I have seen the results produced by this kind of earthly wisdom; they are more damaging than the results of speaking honest words. Many times it is better to speak honest words. If something is yes, simply say yes. If something is no, simply say no. If the others cannot accept my word, I can withhold my words, but I must never make excuses.