A Cut Above

This week we have been watching tributes to the late 60 minutes commentator Andy Rooney who passed away last Friday at the age of 92.  One of the descriptions of Andy was surly, which means: "Bad tempered and unfriendly."  Now no one wants to be remembered like that, but I feel surly today.  I have blogged before about the biggest mistake in my life was to set my course to please people.  Big mistake, because you become a slave to those you are trying to please.  They will use your nice accommodating personality for their purpose and then move on without saying thank you. No thanks! Now I am not bitter about my big mistake, just disappointed I didn't get to a place of enlightenment earlier. Today, I realize how hypocritical most of us are and it puts me at ease because we are all very much alike in so many ways.  I guess that's what makes us human. So why am I surly today?  Because I have a philosophy that Christian leadership should be a cut above leadership found elsewhere.  Why?  There is an eternal purpose and perspective to our leadership as Christians, coupled with the integrity to respect human beings at every level of existence. 

Leadership that is servant oriented, based upon the model that Jesus Christ left for us to follow through the foot washing of John 13.  I rarely see leadership follow that model, in fact, they require their feet to be washed, rather than being the one holding the bowel and towel. The foot washing model is the picture of the kind of leadership Jesus Christ requires from His leadership, those being pastors, Executive Directors, Board members, Christian Business people, and so on. No one is exempt from modeling this kind of leadership.  It is also a belief of mine that in the last days God will begin to reveal the motives of those who are call themselves Christian leaders.  Peter said this:

1 Peter 4:17  17For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? If judgement begins with us, if God will first clean His own house, what is he looking for to clean up? How about the way leadership portrays God?  In these last days we see signs in the heavens and on earth that God is getting this world ready for His return. How about the Church?  Isn't Jesus coming back for His Church, without spot or wrinkle? Ephesians 5:27 27so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Well, there are a lot of leopard looking leaders among us. That is fairly surly, don't you think?  Okay, I admit it, but Christian leaders are to be a cut above for this very reason. Instead of getting better at what we do as leaders, we are going backwards, taking our cues from culture and not the scriptures. We have more authors telling us what leadership should be that don't have a clue themselves, but they found a publisher who thinks they can sell an idea or two on leadership.  And many of us are stupid enough to buy those books. Surly, surly, surly.... Ba-hum-bug! How about if we publish more books on our need as Christian leaders to repent, shed off their egos, pride and accomplishments, pick up their bowels, grap their towels and go lead someone. Good idea?  Sure, but it won't sell books, nice try! Keeping it honest and truthful....K