Proverbs 28: 2 Because
of the transgression of a land, many are
its princes; but by a man of understanding and knowledge right will be prolonged.
Proverbs 28:2. We usually think of chaos in a nation, community, or
organization as an absence of leadership---like when the long-time dictator of
some 3rd world nation is assassinated and civil war breaks out.
But, take a closer look at the chaos and you’ll see that the problem
isn’t so much an absence of leaders as a
surplus of leaders. Chaos doesn’t occur
when no one is in charge. Chaos happens
when everyone’s in charge.
Moses issued this warning to the nation of Israel as they waited at the
edge of the Promise(d Land): You shall not at all do as we are doing here today— every man doing
whatever is right in his own
eyes. (Deuteronomy 12: 8)
In other words, everybody can’t be in charge at the same time.
But that warning was forgotten by the New Testament manifestation of
God’s people.
People were looking at the apostles and saying, “Has the Lord spoken
through them only. Has He not spoke
through us also?” (Numbers 12: 2)
Folks were advancing their claims to power by the argument “You take too
much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them.”
(Numbers 16: 3)
The scramble for prominence in the church created a competitive, chaotic worship
experience, so Paul had to reiterate Moses’ warning in 1 Corinthians 14: 26.
How is it then, brethren?
Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a
tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for
edification.
Every church, every community, and every nation needs leaders at every
level and in every area. But, when all
the leaders at all those levels and in all those areas simultaneously decide
that they are the most important person in the place and that they should run
the whole show, the result is------- chaos.
The apostles, originally all Jews in Jerusalem, did not scheme to
supplant the Sanhedrin council members.
David, though anointed by God to replace King Saul, did not take up arms
against Saul except as a last resort of self-defense, and even then David tried
to protect Saul and his family.
John the Baptist did not press his legitimate biological claims to the
office of high priest, nor did he demand official recognition as prophet
laureate of the Jewish people.
Jesus is the Great High Priest, the King of the Jews, but He did not
contend with Herod for the throne of Judaea or with Caiaphas for the leadership
of the Sanhedrin Council.
Had Jesus and John, who were cousins and prophetic companions, competed for those earthly titles then they
and their disciples would have been in competition with one another. Chaos.
The world promotes an animalistic concept of self-promotion in which you
must wound your peers and destroy your predecessor so you can consume his/her
power.
“Yet it shall not be so among
you, “ said Jesus, “but whoever desires to become great among
you, let him be your servant.” (Matthew 20: 26)
Godly leaders understand that we serve the people who are below us
on organizational chart. Sometimes that means we take blows from
higher-ups so our people/ department/ congregation/ community/ students won’t
be injured. We spend our days and
nights figuring out how to raise up those with less power than we have, rather
than plotting how to replace those who have more power.
When the many leaders in an organization focus on service rather than
status, then a chief servant naturally emerges from among them and is raised to
higher leadership. That leader isn’t the
one with the greatest ambition, the most glamorous persona, or the most
ruthless mentality; but he/she is the one who’s willing to serve when everyone else
has quit serving. True leaders are
willing to sacrifice themselves when everyone else has run away to safety. True leaders exist to bring comfort and
positive change; not to create chaos so that they can ascend to power.
When a church, organization, community, or nation falls in love with
worldly leadership rather than godly leadership the result will be an over-abundance
of selfish leaders (aristocracy) and an absence of servant-leaders.
The result will be chaos.
The result will be chaos.
----- Anderson T. Graves II
Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is the pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church
Call/ fax: 334-288-0577
If you want to be a blessing to
this ministry, contributions may be made by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Rd.,
Montgomery, AL 36116
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