God as a leader

God chose Abraham, called Moses and some of the prophets, and sent Jesus. This suggests that it might be interesting to ask in some human situations how God may already have made provision for leadership.

Watch the 7:39 video or listen to the podcast episode.

Let’s back up a bit. In daily life, you show someone how to do something. In the simplest way, you have functioned as a leader. One notch up, you call up a few friends to organize who will bring what for a shared meal.

People talk about leadership all the time. It’s a good topic. But I always talk about leadership and teamwork. The reason is that the idea of teamwork implies a basic equality among the team members. To me, this symbolizes the fact that leaders and team members are, first and foremost, spiritual equals before God. Keeping this fact in mind, indeed realizing its truth, helps avoid falling into a common distortion in leadership. To serve as a leader is a functional difference between persons.

Today I’m beginning a series on leadership and teamwork. I’m starting with God as a leader and will move on to some blogposts about Jesus as a leader.

Now let me repeat my opening words. God functioned as a leader when he chose Abraham, called Moses and some of the prophets, and sent Jesus. This raises a question. How often does God choose a leader and nobody is aware of the choice. What if it is typical in the kingdom of heaven to make provision for leadership when two or more persons are doing something together? At the very least, it seems to me that spiritually minded people might raise the question and seek to determine who might be best able to serve in this capacity. Perhaps it is often obvious. In many cases, ambitious and aggressive persons take over who might not have the proper qualifications.

Let’s move on to another question. In what ways can we see that God does not monopolize power? If you believe in the Trinity (represented in today’s image), then you may find special meaning in the proposal, “Let us make humankind in our own image.” I’m suggesting that God is not just telling the Son, “I’m going to create humankind in my own image.” Rather, the way God is depicted as speaking expresses respect among Deities who are equal. God has a co-creator (as we see in the gospel According to John, chapter 1). And there are other possible interpretations.

Last question. In what ways can we see that God is not a domineering leader, but one who is loving and merciful–but not a pushover? God not only creates imperfect beings, but according to Jesus, he calls each one of us to become perfect, even as the Father in heaven is perfect–no matter how long it takes! And he sends his spirit to dwell within us. The prophet Isaiah speaking for God: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and also with him who is humble and has a contrite heart.” And after Pentecost, when Jesus poured out the Spirit of Truth (also known as the Comforter and the Holy Spirit) upon “all flesh”–upon everyone. That’s why we can legitimately say today that the spirit of God dwells within each person. Jesus called it “the kingdom of God within you.”

So far from being domineering, the divine spirit operates most of the time above the level of the human mind. That’s why so many people have no idea that God is present in their minds; and they live as if there were no God to interfere with their doing whatever they please. But when people begin to become receptive and start searching, they find. Then the spiritual adventure begins, with no forcing or manipulation. God has given us imperfect beings free will. What a loving and merciful leader! This does not mean that God has no means of limiting the abuse of our free will. On the contrary. But that’s a topic for a different occasion.

Image credit : The Cleveland Museum of Art