From the Preacher’s Pen…
One of the strangest ideas that humans have tried to impose upon the Lord’s church is the idea of “who’s the boss.” Actually, that same failure goes back much further in time with God’s people since the concept of a human boss (rather than God) led Israel to reject the Judges that God appointed and demand a King to rule over them (see 1 Samuel 8:4-7). In demanding an earthly “boss” they were really rejecting God’s rule over them.
Is that not the same thing that Christians do today when they demand a “Reverend” or a “Pope” or any other formal boss over the Lord’s church here on earth? Is that not the same thing that congregations do today when they allow a “head elder” to run the church?
Let’s consider God’s plan for real leadership in the family of God’s people:
Leadership
The best kind of leadership is by example. The symbol of the US Army infantry is a soldier with a rifle in one hand, looking back behind him. Why? His rifle is pointing forward, the other arm giving a “Come on” motion, and the leader is shouting back, “Follow me!”
In World War II General Eisenhower would demonstrate the art of leadership with a piece of string. He’d put it on the table and say: “Pull it and it will follow you wherever you wish. Push it and it will go nowhere at all. It’s just the same way when it comes to leading people. They need to follow a person who is leading by example.” Indeed, every really great military leader has led from the front.
Now, this information is not unique to military matters. In fact, God has known and put into practice this very technique with His church. Hebrews 4:15 reminds us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin” (NRSV). We are not asked by God to do something that He is unwilling to do or that is beyond our abilities, rather we are asked to be part of the team, working together with Him.
Jesus taught this same principle to His followers. When they asked who was greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, He declared that it was the servant who worked with His people rather than some grandiose leader filled with a sense of his own importance. At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:1-4; also see Matthew 23:10-12; Mark 9:23-37 and Luke 22:24-27)
Shepherds of God’s flock are told not to “lord it over the flock” but rather to “be an example” (1 Peter 5:1-3). Likewise, all of us as Christians are to be united in mind, in love, in spirit, and in purpose. We show who and what we are by doing “nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself.” What’s more, we are to “not merely look out for your [our] own personal interests, but also for the interests of others [our fellow Christians]” (Philippians 2:1-4).
The best kind of leadership is by example and since each one of us as members of Christ’s body are to take the leadership in service, let’s all do our 100 percent best for the Lord and for each other this week!
— Lester P. Bagley