Wednesday, April 9

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 131; Daniel 4:28-37; John 16:1-11; 1 Peter 3:8-12; Psalm 141

*** Note: I've had a few readers of my blog comment that they read my daily observations but don't read the passages of Scripture. To make the Scriptures more accessible, I've attached hyperlinks to the texts above. Therefore, if you click on the passage above, it will take you directly to "The Message"'s paraphrasing of today's Scripture. I hope this makes your involvement in this daily lectionary process easier and more fulfilling! ***

In my sabbatical studies last summer, I encountered several individuals who talked about the changes going on within the life of the church today as nothing less than seismic. In fact, one individual compared what’s going on today with two earlier periods in the life of the church: (1) the split between the Orthodox and Catholic communities in the 11th Century, and (2) the Protestant Reformation in the 16th Century. These comparisons suggest that the change occurring is truly monumental. “In what ways?” you might ask. “In many ways,” would be my short answer. One of the most important ways, however, lies in how people are re-conceptualizing the role of clergy persons. For several centuries, clergy persons were regarded as being located on a higher spiritual plane than lay persons. As a result they held a great deal of power and sway over their communities. Today, people are re-thinking what it means to be a spiritual leader. The notion of having power over others in the community is being replaced by the notion of the spiritual leader being first among equals. In many ways, 21st Century spiritual leaders are embracing the spirit of the words the psalmist wrote in Psalm 131: “God, I’m not trying to rule the roost, I don’t want to be king of the mountain” (Psalm 131:1 – The Message). I see this as an exciting (and long overdue) movement within the church. “So what does all of this have to do with me as a layperson?” you might ask. Well, each of us is in a position of leadership in some area of our lives. We might be the parent or guardian in a household, a manager at work, a community opinion leader in our neighborhood, or a leader in a community group. If so, today’s Psalm raises the question: “How do you understand your position. Do you envision your position as an opportunity to “rule the roost” or do you find ways of “keeping your feet on the ground” and “cultivating a quiet heart”? As we struggle with the seemingly impossible task of keeping our ego and power issues under control, let us draw encouragement as we remember the closing words from Psalm 131: “Wait, Israel, for God. Wait with hope. Hope now; hope always!” Til next time…