Archive for January 27th, 2008
Most Severely
Jesus is very clear about His disdain and frustration with what the religious leaders of His day had done with their religious rules and lifestyle. Now, in the closing chapters of His earthly ministry, He is walking into conflict, even forcing the conflict, with religious powers of His day.
Jesus’ words, however, should still send a chill of the spine of all who lead religious organizations, including churches and parachurch ministries.
//Inspiration: Luke 20:46-47“Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
//Incarnation:
As a leader in church ministry and a parachurch organization, I must hear this clearly. God does watch and know and care very deeply with how I treat the people who help support the ministries I lead. God judges His leaders with more scrutiny. They must lead with integrity and not abuse those who help them. They must not do it for show. They must not take advantage of those who are helpless and in need. (Yesterday’s devotional thoughts on Psalms 10-12 really identifies these kind of spiritual predators as wicked.) God will punish His leaders who abuse their power. He will punish them more severely. So, I must lead more humbly, more genuinely, and out of sense of wanting to see Go’s will be done and not my own nest be feathered and my own ego stroked.
//Invitation:
O LORD, God of all nations, help me see your will and know it. Be with me as I try to share that will with others, but also try to live it first. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen