The prophet's handbook

look at the societal systems that are already in place—those we are all conditioned to respect. Here is a case in point. We have all heard about gifted singers, dancers, or athletes, and how many of them exhibited above average ability or talent from childhood. The musician, for instance, who just sat down and taught him or herself the piano. The athlete who picked up a ball and never seemed to miss a basket from the first throw. The artist who took up a pencil and sketched what was seen, with no direction or guidance whatsoever. People such as these come in all fields, but they all share one thing: an exceptional ability to do what they were formed to do, effortlessly and with only minimal outside intervention, if any. These are the gifted ones, the prodigies; the amazingly talented minds, hearts, and souls that make their mark on the world early in life. Being credited with genius deemed to be worthwhile in adulthood, these young ones are usually mentored from the day of their discovery to protect them and their gifts until both can benefit the world. They are nurtured, coached, and guarded until their natural talents can be honed to a fine art. Unfortunately, no such wisdom characterizes those who happen upon the prophetically gifted soul. It seems that the moment anyone displays any impressive special ability in the area of the prophetic, he or she is immediately whisked to center stage and the front of the line. The prophet’s ministry may be presumptuously practiced by whomever, with no requirement, special aptitude, or approval system whatsoever. Merely by saying, “Thus says the Lord,” and having it come to pass (perhaps once or twice) gets these people promoted and rashly installed as prophets. No wonder the church fails to take the office seriously, or to recognize that there is indeed an office for prophets at all. So insignificantly is it viewed that anyone claiming a word is from the Lord is often granted immediate access to the body and entrance into its official spheres, usually with no questions asked. For the most part, those declaring a call to prophesy are believed and trusted based on no actual criteria. No proving, training, or apprenticeship is employed, just the ability to say something predictive and perhaps remotely profound. That is not how the prophets of old saw this function, nor is it how they entered and executed their office. The ancients of their day were not bedazzled by the gifted; they demanded wisdom, reliability, proof of infallibility, and a solid track record. Our predecessors would never acknowledge a person’s right to the prophet’s office merely based upon a word. The Lord, through Moses, condemned this attitude and meticulously outlined the features and effects of His