LEADERSHIP YOU CAN COUNT ON

Are you familiar with the term banty rooster?  My mother used that term.  Wiki says he is technically a Bantam Rooster, which is a small bird who swaggers and tries to out-rooster the other chickens in the barnyard.  There are some people who act like this petite bird...

Here is a banty rooster on the world's stage.  Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has a stated goal to crumble world order in order to bring divine rule.  He sees himself as the one to set the stage to usher in Islam's Twelfth Imam.  The rest of the world is foot shuffling to see how long it is until this man has a nuclear tool chest.  He's looking to pick a global fight and draw the nations.  What would it be like to live under that leadership? 

These birds (above/below) cooperated to swagger on a smaller scale.  Julian Assange, an Australian citizen, purportedly tried to cleanse OUR political system through exposing national secrets.  Of course in the cleansing process, the man extorted...diminished our country's capacity to lead the free world...and perhaps caused physical harm to American allies.  Messy cleansing, Mr. Assange.   

The reported leaky source of secrets came from this disgruntled gay man, Bradley Manning, who was angry about a caldron of gripes.  His story seems to be the proof text for why gays and the military do not mix.  How in the world did one unhappy and unstable young man get access to classified documents?  On a positive note, Bradley Manning has been declared a hero in Berkley, California.

The bodacious pair (Assange/Manning) took leadership positions that did not belong to them.  No one voted for them to be in charge of America's secrets.  So they are thieves and imposters who usurped their leadership positions.  Although the men claim altruistic motivation, Manning also says he was looking for retribution against the Army's "Don't Ask" policy...while Assange just seemed to enjoy his five minutes of power and fame while pursuing "openness".     

What about leadership "across the pond"?  Europe is being influenced by anger and force in the streets.  Usually cool and calm, the Brits fired up and their youth rioted over college tuition.  Huh?  Perhaps it makes as much sense to riot about tuition as it does to riot over retirement.  That's what the French youth did when they hit the streets in October, upset about the suggestion to move their retirement age up from age 60 to 62.  Toss the Greeks into that bunch, too.  Their streets are full of "push-back".

 These young European rioters bow up under leadership.  They are the product of a generation who have lived on government's dime and they've come to expect freebies.  That system breeds takers rather than givers.  So in France, when asked to make an adjustment for their country's survival, their response was outrage.  


Authority around the globe seems to be coming apart at the seams as anarchists, cyber bullies and street thugs knock down the weight-bearing walls that protect us.  The time is ripening for the Prince of Peace.  We won't get peace from Ahmadinejad and we won't be cleansed by Jullian Assange or Bradley Manning.  Bringing peace is a God-sized job in our world.  The red-and-green season celebrates Christ's first coming as a baby, but His followers know that when He returns it will be in power.


What about power and leadership?  What would be the opposite of a swaggering/out-roostering leader?  A humble leader?  That's Jesus.  Humility is power under control.  He was scourged and crucified and did not defend himself...power under control.


God sent the Son to a world in darkness, a world thirsty for a Reconciler, a Purpose-Giver, a Protector/Friend, and a Rock of Assurance.  That's Jesus.

Leading by example, He taught and healed and loved and challenged and wept for humanity.  Jesus served the people who followed Him. His leadership was pure in motive...and proven as He willingly pulled the hill to Golgotha, and then left empty grave clothes inside the tomb. 


Now THERE'S a powerful Leader you can count on.

"For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen.  What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever."  2Corinthians 4:18