A true and safe leader is likely to be one who has no desire to lead but is forced into a position of leadership by the inward pressure of the Holy Spirit and the press of the external situation.
~A. W. Tozer (1897-1963)
Now He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by Him, and He who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes He may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
~Jesus, King of The Universe, in Luke 14
Oh beloved, it is true.
There is a deep need for leaders in the world. We are, so many of us, in need of direction and resourcing. But, one of the biggest problems is not that there are not candidates for leadership. The problem is that many who wish to lead, should not.
And those, who think they shouldn’t are often the very best candidates available.
Any fool can govern with a stick in his hand. I could govern that way. It is not God’s way.
~George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
There is a model. And, this Leadership is the Most Powerful in the universe. Anyone or anything that has ever come up against It has failed. But, this Leadership has never asserted itself as a better option, or as in some sort of Lording Themselves over others.
And this model of leadership is integrated into Their Very Being. How does leadership work, even within the G_dHead? Deep, mutual interpenetration within freedom of Their Individuality. There is no hierarchy. Only such incredible submission that Each of Them are completely in control.
Said more simply: We gotta break out of the idea that hierarchy is about who is in charge.
Yes, G_d is completely in control. And He has actually stood up against any and all who have attempted to set themselves up in opposition to Him. But note, all the way through His Word, G_d is not ever, ever attempting to compete with anyone, nor is He trying to control anyone.
And it seems that this is a clear picture for us, about why the reluctant leaders among us end up being the better leaders over all.
Can we see it?
Leadership is not leadership unless we lead like G_d leads.
Dost thou wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that shall pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.
~Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
G_d is humble. G_d has taken a very clear inventory of Who He is, Who He was, and Who He will be. He knows that He is already in complete control, and so, there is no need to fight into a position of victory. He is already standing on the pedestal.
G_d has proven, through the long ages of eternity, that competition is never the answer to winning. Asserting Authority is not the way to influence people. No, G_d has always given way to the authority of Those closest to Him. And, while the Trinity is an enigma, one part that is not so mysterious, is that the way 3 infinite and omnipotent would best get along is to dance in deep submission to each other.
When there is trust, in the midst of power, there is no need for fear.
Beloved, we, those brought into His family, have been given the same kind of authority. We already own everything, so we do not need to buy anything. We are already loved, so we do not need to fight to be accepted. We can, each of us, sit in our humble position and simply be who we already are.
And when we do, we too will find that we are much more influential than those supposed influence peddlers in our world.
So, are you struggling with trying to control and lead? Perhaps it is time for you (and this fool of a writer) to take a completely different, more humble, and exceedingly powerful approach. Tonight is your night beloved. Time to believe you are already in control.
