THE DANGERS OF FAMILIARITY
”But Peter said, "Ananias, why has satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land…" Acts 5:3-4(NKJV)
BIBLE READING: NUMBERS 12:1-13; MARK 6:1-6; 2 SAMUEL 6:1-23
There is a subtle but dangerous shift that happens when the Sacred becomes commonplace and when the Anointed becomes "ordinary" in our eyes. Over time, even the most Profound Spiritual Truths and God-appointed leaders can lose their weight in our hearts if we allow familiarity to dull our Reverence for them. The Holy Scriptures repeatedly warn against this slow drift into disrespect, showing us that how we treat Divine Authority reflects our true posture before the Lord God Almighty. The Fifth Chapter of the Book of Acts of the Apostles presents a vital example of how familiarity can deceive us into thinking we can manipulate Spiritual Authority. Ananias and his wife Sapphira saw Peter as just another man, someone they could lie to without consequence. But Peter, under the Holy Spirit’s Unction, exposed their fatal error: "Ananias, why has satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" (vs 3). Their sin wasn’t merely deception; it was treating the Sacred with casual disregard. They assumed they could negotiate with Divine Order, forgetting that God’s Vessels are not mere figureheads but Conduits of His Very Presence. What was the result? Immediate Judgment. This passage forces us to ask the following: Have I, in my comfort with Spiritual Leadership, begun to dishonour the God behind it? (Selah)
The Lord Jesus Himself faced the limits of familiarity according to the Sixth Chapter of the Gospel according to Mark 6. The people of Nazareth, who had watched Him grow up, dismissed His Wisdom and Power with sheer contempt: "Isn’t this the Carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s Son?" (vs 3). Their casual familiarity blinded them to His Divinity and the Holy Bible says that Jesus "could do no Mighty Work there" (vs 5), not because He lacked Power but because their hearts lacked Awe. Similarly, in the Twelfth Chapter of the Book of Numbers, the prophetess Miriam and the high priest Aaron’s familiarity with their younger brother Moses led to rebellion. They questioned, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t He also spoken through us?" (vs 2) God’s Response was swift: Miriam was struck with leprosy. What's the lesson here? Familiarity that breeds competition rather than Submission is a Spiritual poison.
How can we recognize when our comfort has gradually turned into contempt? Watch for these subtle but dangerous shifts:
(1.) Finishing your leaders' sentences instead of receiving their words with fresh ears.
(2.) Delaying or distorting Obedience, thinking "They will understand if I adjust their instructions.”
(3.) Keeping a mental ledger of their mistakes rather than covering them in Prayer.
(4.) Interrupting or joking inappropriately, eroding the Gravity of Spiritual Moments.
(5.) Checking your phone or whispering when they speak, signalling disengagement.
(6.) Referring to them casually in ways that diminish their God-given Role.
(7.) Second-guessing their direction without seeking God first.
(8.) Feeling entitled to their time or attention beyond healthy boundaries.
(9.) Minimizing their Spiritual Impact, i.e., saying in your heart "They’re not that anointed."
(10.) Reacting with irritation rather than Humility when corrected.
The Remedy for familiarity is Intentional Reverence, choosing to see God’s Hand upon those He has placed in Authority. David’s refusal to harm King Saul (1Sam. 24:6), even when he had the chance, reveals a heart that honoured God’s Anointing above personal opportunity. Let us cultivate the same Fear of the Lord, remembering that how we treat His servants is, in Truth, how we treat Him (Matt. 25:40).
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, as we seek Your Presence, we humbly ask for Forgiveness for any instances of familiarity that have tainted our relationships or attitudes, whether knowingly or unknowingly. O Lord, please grant us the Wisdom to honour those in Authority, recognizing their roles as Ordained by You. Search our hearts, O Lord, and cleanse us of contempt or disrespect. Lead us in the Path of Righteousness, guiding our thoughts and actions to align with Your Will in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.