SPIRIT LIFE LEADERSHIP: FOR ELDER
1 Peter 5
June 4
A verse to remember:: 2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 1 Peter 5:2
Gospel: Mark 9:33-37 Who is the greatest in the kingdom?
1 Peter 5:1-4
And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: 2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honour.
Reflection:
I’ve had many coaches over the years, Sport coaches. Drama coaches. Pastor coaches. Business coaches. Marriage coaches. Ministry coaches. And they type of leader Peter describes above, they are the coaches I value most. To be honest, whenever possible, I have to say that to this day i have maintained relationships with these kinds of coaches. So its funny when I think of the disciples thinking the goal of coach Jesus was to give them the best position on the team—to be the greatest!
It is a noble aspiration yes? To be the best at what you do. And after all, the disciples did have the MOST ULTIMATE COACH IN THE UNIVERSE…. JESUS! This guy knew things. He had a connection with the BIG GUY and GOD’S KIGNDOM! So surely there was a place of honour for them to sit in as “the greatest”.
Fortunately Jesus took this coachable moment to focus the attention of his disciples on what is really important concerning God’s heart:
“Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”
36 Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”
When you read these words You can’t help but hear Jesus saying, what you do for the “least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!”
Leadership in the kingdom is upside down. To lead is to serve. Peter in his role as an elder saw it for what it was, an opportunity to serve, “willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it but because you are eager to serve God”. As an elder, a leader, Peter knew this comes with an authority that is different that when you are not a leader. He doesn’t deny that with leadership there comes a position of authority. He just cautions us to use our authority, position and “power” like Christ did. “Don’t lord over the people assigned to your care…”. Think of the people assigned to your care and apply todays simple leadership principle. I get the feeling Jesus passed it on to Peter, who is now passing it on to us. May we do the same.
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