Today’s Readings: Psalm 67; Leviticus 26:1-20; Luke 22:14-30; Ephesians 1:11-15; Psalm 141
I have many passions in life. One of those passions involves issues of leadership. I’m interested in the topic because it presents a fascinating glimpse into the minds and values of people. Over the past 7 or 8 years, I’ve noticed a profound shift in the way people are thinking about what leadership means at the most basic levels. People use to expect leaders to be the ones to give them answers; now, people are more comfortable with leaders being the ones to ask the tough questions. I noticed that people use to expect leaders to do all of the work for them; now, people are looking for leaders who will inspire them to do the work for themselves. I could go on and on detailing other shifts in the understanding of leadership, but those first two changes I listed should give you a feel for what I mean. Given my interest in leadership, you might wonder what source I turn to for guidance on the topic. “Does he consult the New York Times’ list of best-sellers? Does he regularly peruse the bookshelves at Barnes & Noble or Borders? What listservs does he subscribe to on line?” While I do those things on some occasions, I have to confess that one of my favorite sources to consult regarding issues of leadership is the Bible - for in the Bible, you get amazing models of what a true leader should look like (and some cases what a leader SHOULDN’T look like as well). In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus gives us a couple invaluable insights into how a true leader operates. The passage, for instance, tells us that a good leader doesn’t surround him/herself only so-called yes-people; a good leader (that would be Jesus) should be so comfortable in his/her call that he/she can surround him/herself even with those who might ultimately betray him (that would be Judas). Second, the passage gives us an important principle of good leadership: a good leader couldn’t care less about titles (“let the leader act the part of the servant” – Luke 22:26 from The Message). And third, leadership isn’t about having others tend to your needs; leadership is about tending to the needs of others (“I’ve taken my place among you as the one who serves” – Luke 22:28 from The Message). One of my fundamental beliefs is that each and every one of us has an area in our life where we are a leader. It may be at home; it may be at the office; or it may be in a special interest or community group. My question for you to consider today is this: what kind of leader are you? Are you a heavy handy, autocratic leader who demands you get your own way; or are you the type of leader who embodies the wisdom and values of Jesus? Til next time…
I have many passions in life. One of those passions involves issues of leadership. I’m interested in the topic because it presents a fascinating glimpse into the minds and values of people. Over the past 7 or 8 years, I’ve noticed a profound shift in the way people are thinking about what leadership means at the most basic levels. People use to expect leaders to be the ones to give them answers; now, people are more comfortable with leaders being the ones to ask the tough questions. I noticed that people use to expect leaders to do all of the work for them; now, people are looking for leaders who will inspire them to do the work for themselves. I could go on and on detailing other shifts in the understanding of leadership, but those first two changes I listed should give you a feel for what I mean. Given my interest in leadership, you might wonder what source I turn to for guidance on the topic. “Does he consult the New York Times’ list of best-sellers? Does he regularly peruse the bookshelves at Barnes & Noble or Borders? What listservs does he subscribe to on line?” While I do those things on some occasions, I have to confess that one of my favorite sources to consult regarding issues of leadership is the Bible - for in the Bible, you get amazing models of what a true leader should look like (and some cases what a leader SHOULDN’T look like as well). In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus gives us a couple invaluable insights into how a true leader operates. The passage, for instance, tells us that a good leader doesn’t surround him/herself only so-called yes-people; a good leader (that would be Jesus) should be so comfortable in his/her call that he/she can surround him/herself even with those who might ultimately betray him (that would be Judas). Second, the passage gives us an important principle of good leadership: a good leader couldn’t care less about titles (“let the leader act the part of the servant” – Luke 22:26 from The Message). And third, leadership isn’t about having others tend to your needs; leadership is about tending to the needs of others (“I’ve taken my place among you as the one who serves” – Luke 22:28 from The Message). One of my fundamental beliefs is that each and every one of us has an area in our life where we are a leader. It may be at home; it may be at the office; or it may be in a special interest or community group. My question for you to consider today is this: what kind of leader are you? Are you a heavy handy, autocratic leader who demands you get your own way; or are you the type of leader who embodies the wisdom and values of Jesus? Til next time…
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