What's Holding us Back?

Dear Family,

Respect your elders. Respect those in authority. Respect your elected officials. Respect your parents. Respect your pastor?.?. I remember being taught that all of the above, well the one exception is the pastor, but the other positions, my parents taught me to respect those persons, because they had authority, they earned the authority, and i had none, zero, zilch. Now it does call into question what happens when someone of authority abuses that authority, like when a politician declares war without really much support? Or when a parent abuses and misuses a child? Or when an elder, though demands respect, refuses to do what is necessary to earn it, like be a conduit of wisdom and great listening, because i have finally learned that great wisdom begins with listening, true listening. So what do we do when we are called to respect all of these 'titles' and yet, when we are honest with ourselves, those persons do little to warrant our respect or admiration?

What do we do then? Is the charge to respect elders, parents, authorities, or pastors go without a checks and balance? And in the case of the pastor, how do we determine if he/she speaks with godly authority, because if one is to lead a community of spiritual pilgrims, i would hope she/he realizes that they represent more than a tradition; they represent the Divine. How do we check if they speak with God's authority?

And we must hold those in position accountable. If they insist on leading us down a path that is truly not of God, we must say NO! If they try to persuade us to follow them into a journey of darkness; we must say NO! And if they make choices that violate our sense of what it means to follow Jesus; we must say NO! How do we gauge what is of God and what is not? Scripture. The Community. Our own spiritual journey. These are but a few of the suggestions that those who follow Christ must use to discern if their leaders are of God or of the world.

But then the other question also holds.

If we cannot find any ungodliness, from Scripture, community, etc, in our leaders words and guidance, we must follow them. Period. But my sense is this second element of the equation of being a community of God is much more challenging to follow. In our "I have a voice, and i will be heard" culture, submitting oneself to a greater purpose, even the community of God, often times is more difficult than people want to admit.

And Jesus faced it too.

So what did Jesus do? He asked a question about John the Baptist's intention. Were they of God? Or were they human oriented? The people refused to answer. Why? Because to admit that John was from God, well that meant that the religious people were guilty of ignoring God's call, and no person, proclaiming a faith in God, wants to admit that he/she has fallen short of what God truly demands. On the other hand, though, they didn't want to suggest that John acted on his own accord. Why? Because so many held that John came from God, and to deny John's authority and godly call, well that is blasphemy. And the people would have rioted.

So the leaders took the cowardly way out. They said, "I dont know."

And Jesus, knowing their hearts, said, "I wont tell you about my calling either."

We do not get to choose who God sends to lead us, and if we are to be a people of God, we dont even get to choose where they might lead us. We, as a people who cling to the life and teachings of Jesus, who mourn, weep, and embrace the death of Jesus, and who praise, celebrate, and worship the resurrected Jesus must respond to Jesus like this: John's teaching, as we read the text, comes from you, o Lord.

We have to acknowledge godly leadership, even if it means we have to give up everything to follow, because God already proves true when He gave it all, so that we might have life and have it abundantly. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry