Proverbs 28: 2 Because of the transgression of a land, many areits 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
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Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Rd.,
Montgomery, AL 36116
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