Intimacy with God: When Your Spiritual Hero Has Clay Feet

In our spiritual journey, it is natural to seek guidance and inspiration from those we perceive as spiritually mature. However, placing these individuals on pedestals can lead to disappointment and spiritual confusion when their human flaws become evident. This is why intimacy with God is so important.

Let’s explore the dangers of idolizing spiritual leaders, the importance of intimacy with God and seeking wisdom directly from Him, and how to maintain a balanced perspective by recognizing that all humans have “feet of clay.”

The Bible clearly instructs us not to have idols or place anything above God in our lives. On a conscious level, most of us do not have these forbidden idols. Not many who profess Christianity have golden calves or any other graven image on a household altar. While most Christians do not worship these things, we may unknowingly elevate certain people to a level of spiritual heroism, viewing them as representatives of Christ Himself.

Surrounding yourself with spiritually mature individuals is beneficial, as the Bible advises us to walk with the wise (Proverbs 13:20). The danger arises when we rely solely on one person or a “clique” of people for guidance and spiritual direction.

The Symbolism of “Feet of Clay”

The term “feet of clay” originates from a troubling dream of King Nebuchadnezzar who saw a gigantic, extraordinarily brilliant, and awe-inspiring statue (Daniel 2:31). The head was made of gold, the chest and arms were of silver, the belly and thighs were of bronze, the legs were iron, and the feet were a mixture of iron and clay (Daniel 2:32-33).

The mixture of iron and clay made the statue unstable (“brittle” in Daniel 2:42), so when a stone “cut out without hands” struck the statue, it collapsed and all its components were blown away like chaff, leaving no trace behind (Daniel 2:35).

Daniel interpreted the dream, explaining that each part of the statue represented different empires. The head of gold represented the Babylonian Empire, the chest and arms of silver symbolized the Medo-Persian Empire, the belly and thighs of bronze signified the Greek Empire, and the legs of iron, along with the feet of iron and clay, represented the Roman Empire (Daniel 2:38-43).

The stone that struck the statue symbolized God’s everlasting kingdom (Daniel 2:44). The message this dream conveyed is clear: in the end, God’s kingdom will prevail over all earthly empires.

Personal Empires and Their Downfall

We can use this symbolism in our own personal empires where we put people on pedestals and lift them above others or even above Christ. We may look to them for answers to our every question, hanging on their words and making decisions based on their advice.

It’s important to seek guidance from mature Christians and those who have experienced similar situations. Their goldy wisdom can be invaluable. However, we must be careful not to replace God’s wisdom with their insights.

Relying on others to hear from God for us is not the answer. They can confirm messages and guide us through biblical principles, but the Bible instructs us to seek God’s wisdom directly, to test spirits, and to make decisions based on the insights from many advisors. This approach helps ensure that one person or group of people does not become an idol in our lives.

Amanda’s Story: Betrayed by Spiritual Mentors

For example, Amanda grew up in a Christ-centered home, with her family serving as pillars in the local church. Throughout her life, she sought their counsel, asked for prayer, and looked to her elders as the perfect mentors who often guided her toward the Lord.

When her mother passed away, Amanda assumed her extended family would rally around her, offering godly advice, practical help, and emotional support. Instead, one family member, motivated by greed and insecurity and clouded by grief, decided to start rumors based on lies and misunderstandings about Amanda.

These rumors quickly spread throughout the family. Soon everyone believed the lies. After all, it was told by one of the “spiritual giants” of the family and spread further by others who were admired for their spirituality.

Amanda’s spiritual mentors and support system turned from friends to foes, from allies to enemies in the span of a week. She had to deal with her mother’s death and attacks from the very people she had trusted with the most intimate parts of her spiritual walk.

Because her family represented Christ to her, she also felt as if she was a disappointment to God. Amanda felt that losing their approval meant she was in the wrong. Despite knowing she was not guilty of the accusations, she was gaslighted into feeling at fault.

This attack and disapproval from her spiritual mentors left her feeling isolated and alone and too far for even God’s love to reach. She doubted her own relationship with the Lord and began to wonder if her own spiritual journey was severely off course. Had she not believed her family was the most righteous modern representation of Christ humanly possible, she might not have felt so disconnected from God when they betrayed her.

Katie’s Story: A Pastor’s Fall

Consider the example of Katie. Growing up, she casually attended church with her neighbor, as her parents were no longer interested in religion. As an adult, she became more involved in a church despite her parents’ disillusionment with formal religion.

Over time, she grew close to the pastor, a charismatic young married man who confidently applied scripture to their daily lives. Eventually, Katie and the pastor developed an inappropriate emotional affair which strained his marriage, tarnished his ministry, and divided their church.

Katie’s parents felt vindicated in their negative views toward Christianity, pushing them even further away from Christ. Katie was left without a support system, as the entire congregation blamed her for the downfall of the ministry and even those in spiritual authority over her shunned her.

If Katie hadn’t held her pastor on a pedestal, she might not have been tempted to cross inappropriate boundaries. Likewise, the pastor might not have allowed his ego to be flattered to the point of engaging in an affair, falling into sin, and causing others to stray from Christ.

The Consequences of Placing People on Pedestals

In both examples, spiritual leaders or heroes caused significant damage when their clay feet started to crumble. Who is at fault? Are Amanda and Katie at fault for idolizing others and placing them in a place above or on a level with Christ? Or were the family and pastor to blame for elevating themselves and then falling into sin? The answer is, “yes” to all these questions.

We all have our flaws and weaknesses, often described as “feet of clay.” The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:7 notes that God has entrusted the message of the Gospel to ordinary, fallible people, referring to them as “clay jars” or “common pots.” These jars represent both the ordinariness and fragility of those who carry the Gospel.

Despite being seen as a spiritual giant, Paul was acutely aware of his shortcomings and was often criticized for his weaknesses. He never forgot his past as a persecutor of the church, calling himself the foremost of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Paul’s recognition of his own fallibility is a reminder that all Christian leaders, and indeed all people, have strengths and weaknesses. We should honor them, not place them on a pedestal of perfection.

We need to be careful not to elevate others and rely on them to be the liaison between us and God. We need to take counsel from others but also forge our understanding through an authentic and intimate relationship with our Creator.

People in the position of spiritual leaders need to be authentic and transparent. They need to be real about their own sinfulness and struggles to not appear “otherworldly” or give the appearance of being infallible. Put your clay feet out for all to see.

The exception to this is Jesus, who lived a life without sin and withstood the closest of scrutiny. The Apostle Peter described Jesus as “without defect or blemish” (1 Peter 1:19), and the writer to the Hebrews noted that He was “tempted in every way that we are but did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He was no mere man; He was God incarnate.

Finding Healing through Christian Counseling

While it is important to seek guidance from spiritually mature individuals, we must remember that they, like us, have their flaws. Jesus stands alone as the one true hero in whom we will never be disappointed.

If you’re struggling to find intimacy with God after someone you admired fell from grace, consider seeking Christian counseling. Therapy can be a place of healing and revelation.

A Christian counselor is uniquely qualified to help with the heartbreak incurred from watching a spiritual leader fail. We most likely have experienced this heartbreak ourselves. Please reach out to me or one of the other qualified counselors at Texas Christian Counseling. We would love to help.