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A Revolutionary Decision
Truly revolutionary
Talk is cheap. Action speaks volumes. When was the last time you encountered a leader who:
Would you like a leader like this? It is Jesus. Breaking barriers Barriers due to gender, race, etc., still exist today and have been thrust into the spotlight in 2008. Thousands of years ago, discrimination was common practice. Men did not talk with women outside of their family and held absolute power over those in their family. Women were not allowed to hold positions of authority, their testimony was not allowed in court, and they were not allowed to be educated. Foreigners were despised, hated, and excluded. Jesus directly challenged these barriers and took action against them. He talked with women, even foreigners, and dared to teach them. Women were included among his closest followers and were present at critical events. Jesus referred to and treated men and women as equals. These were revolutionary acts by a leader who desired to help us see beyond discrimination. Dealing with real issues Problems are never in short supply. The environment, taxes, foreign policy, the economy, health care, and many other issues are regular topics for discussion and debate. Even Jesus had comments on taxes, foreign policy, and health care. However, these weren't his central focus. He spent his time with people meeting them where they lived and dealing with their needs. He helped many who were sick and provided for those who needed food. These also weren't his focus. He strove to deal with the deeper needs and issues of our attitudes and thoughts of our hearts. Leads by example Policies, proposals, speeches, and influence are some of the methods commonly used by leaders to promote their agenda. Jesus chose other mechanisms. He was often found teaching those who wanted to listen and learn. He used common language and illustrations from daily life, and he emphasized his lessons with action. To teach how leadership and power should be handled, he demonstrated by taking the role of and performing tasks of a servant. He broke various laws and customs that were built upon faulty reasoning to demonstrate the true spirit of key laws. He personally dismantled a corrupt, exploitative system to show the place for justice. He followed his own teaching about loving others by demonstrating how to treat an enemy and by substituting himself for someone else's punishment. His teachings and actions continue, even today, to provide examples that are unlike those of leaders throughout history. Matters of the heart Leaders often cater to a specific demographic, aiming to gain support from those with similar goals and/or with wealth to contribute to the cause. Not Jesus. He reached out to those who seemed unlikely followers -- foreign sympathizers, prostitutes, foreigners, chronically ill, poverty stricken, etc. Rather than pausing for a token "photo op" with a child, he fully cleared his schedule to interact with them. For those who appeared to have the most in common with him, many in the conservative religious leadership, he reserved his harshest words. Jesus was able to see past the external and into the attitude of the individual. He reached out for those with needs and touched those who were willing to trust him, while rejecting those who tried to hide callous attitudes behind a polished image. Setting a higher standard Jesus is a leader without equal. Even 2,000 years later, what he was able to accomplish and model is still a challenge for leaders to emulate. He set the standard for caring, compassionate leadership that seeks to serve others out of love. Jesus simply said "Follow me." If you'd like to "Choose Jesus 2008", find out how to follow his leadership and be part of his team, please investigate the further reading below. Further reading History & Jesus Good enough? |
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