LEADERSHIP

October 2007 article by Andrew Pritchard.

During the last few weeks, there has been more than a little rumour about a possible election here in Britain. Gordon Brown it seems mulled over the possibility with his advisors, and a political expectation was in the air. But then it fizzled out to nothing. An announcement was made that there would not be a general election, and the media and others, particularly from the opposition parties, claimed Mr Brown’s position was weakened by such a back down. Certainly by all accounts it was not a good day for him.

Leadership of course is all around us. We find it at work with bosses, at school with head teachers, community leaders on a variety of matters, leadership in the home to children etc. Probably of all these the most frequent leadership we see is at work. There are of course good and bad bosses, those who are effective and those who are not. There are also those who are extremely ambitious to move their way up the ladder to become leaders. I remember a friend of mine who was a Director of a company telling me an interesting example. He was interviewing for a junior director post, on when asking a candidate what were his aspirations over the next 5 years, the reply was “I want your job.” My friend with a very wise head replied, “Remember someone might say that to you in the future”.

So many people aspire to be leaders. There are of course good and bad. There are those who are genuine, there are others not so. There are those who are supportive, and there are others who wish control, sadly often because they have little other control or happiness in their own lives. Talking to people also, you sometimes hear comments in terms of politics of which leader to choose, as if it is an endeavour to choose simply between the leaders available.

There is also the response to Leadership. You will hear many comments of what leadership? What effects have been had? Are there any changes for the good? Worse still, including on the world stage, nobody can sort out the mess we have got ourselves into!

A couple of thousand years ago there was a Roman Centurion who was pondering a problem. He was seeking help, and was seeking a leader who could help. He was a fair leader himself, but he could not sort out this problem. Being a kind man he was concerned for the health of one of his servants who had palsy, a paralysis. The servant was really suffering, in so much that he was tormented by the pain. There seemed no cure, and the Centurion as a leader felt powerless to help. Then one day, he heard of someone, a man who could help, a man who was a true leader. This man had come to the town where they were; it was a great opportunity. The man however who could help was of the common people and he being a Roman Centurion of the occupying forces would have to humble himself before all on lookers and the man himself to gain help for his servant. This he did approaching the man who could help.

“Lord” he said “my servant lies at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented”. The man replied “I will come to heal him”. The Centurion replied “Lord I am not worthy that you should come under my roof.”

Let’s pause there. This is a leader of the town he and his men were occupying saying to a common person of the people I am not worthy. To many in the world today this might seem foolishness, but to get true understanding of this we continue.

The Centurion continued “but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me and I say to this man go, and he goes, and to another come and he comes, and to my servant do this and he does it”.

This is a remarkable response from a leader in front of all to this common person. The centurion spoke of his own leadership and those above him, but recognised this man’s word as greater by far, and as being above his own leadership and those above him. What’s more he believed that the common man he was speaking to could indeed heal his servant.

The man spoke in response, marvelling at what the Centurion had just said in front of all “Truly I say unto you I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel”. He continued “Go your way as you have believed so be it done unto you”.

Do you know what happened? The centurion’s servant was healed in the same hour that the man spoke those words.

This is remarkable in a number of ways. The centurion was recognised as a good leader. He obviously cared for the people under his authority, and was respected - no mean feat for one who occupied a land where their presence was not welcome. However the Centurion saw in one of their own people a greater than he, whose word was greater than his and his own leaders. Also the man had greater command over the forces of nature and illness, than he had over his own officers and servants in day to day affairs. He also recognised that the man before him was the greatest leader of all. Most of all he had complete belief and faith that what the man would say would happen. And so it proved to be.

This is a true event and can be found if you open your Bible in Matthew Ch 8 vs 5 to 13. The man of course was Jesus. Jesus is indeed the greatest leader. He has the authority and power to put things right beyond the imaginations of any including world leaders. The centurion recognised this, and so should we. We can learn much from the centurion himself both in the ways we conduct our own leadership, but more so recognising Jesus as the one and only leader above us all who can get not just us but the whole world out of the mess it faces.

Jesus will return as King to rule this world in truth and righteousness soon. This is not a view of fantasy, but real, as the signs in the world as prophesied in the Bible clearly attest. Psalm 72, which I suggest you read, gives us a good picture of Jesus’ leadership. It is a Psalm that tells us about Jesus’ rule and leadership in the very near future, when he returns from his Father’s side to this troubled world. We read in this Psalm that he will:

Judge people with righteousness including the poor

He will save/deliver the needy

He will break in pieces the oppressor

Cause righteousness and peace will flourish

Have dominion unto the ends of the earth

Redeem from deceit and violence

Cause the earth to bring forth food abundantly

Will reign for ever

This is a true, exciting and welcome prospect. The world is in need of such a leader, for as can be seen on watching the daily news, the world is in dire need of rescue. As the centurion recognised, only Jesus can help. Jesus is coming back, therefore we should be like the centurion believing that he can do all these things, and praying for his return now.