And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way. (Luke 4:24, 28-30 NRSV)

Jesus found that the role of prophet can have fatal if not divisive consequences. As he followed the calling of his heavenly father he also saw the need to nurture in the way a pastor might provide pastoral care. The conflict between Jesus’ prophetic witness and his call to care for his followers created a necessary but often painful tension.

We all want approval. However that approval can come at the expense of our capacity to bring about positive growth in our lives or in the lives of others. The truth must never be sacrificed in order to gain approval. Jesus certainly knew that. Sometimes the acceptance of truth takes time. In the interim, remember to love those persons who differ with you. That is the paradox of the gospel.

The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matthew 12:11-12, NRSV)

We are obsessed with leadership. And I suppose to some extent we should be. In every business, family, governmental agency, and church we look to someone or some group to lead with wisdom, courage, and fairness. Being a leader is a calling. It requires the spiritual gift of administration.  (It helps if you have a whole bunch of the others too!)

There are many leadership models that have evolved over the years. One model put forward by Bill Collins, the author of From Good to Great, studied the leaders of successful businesses and reached one very interesting conclusion: the best leader is often reluctant to take a leadership role. This reluctance is not based upon a lack of confidence or ability a person may or may not have. Instead it is based upon a sincere concern that they might not have the qualities and characteristics that would be best serve the needs of the organization or group.

In other words strong leaders are humble. They are servants. Effective leaders put others first and their own needs are often met by giving of themselves with sensitivity, mercy, and grace. Isn’t it interesting how Jesus knew this long before the present-day researchers reached the same conclusion?

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39, NRSV)

It starts early. One of the first fears we must face as an infant is abandonment. Will my mother really come when I cry? It continues into early and later childhood when we are dropped off at school. Will they really come get me when school is out? By our teenage years we find ourselves wondering will the other kids in my peer group like me, accept me, or date me? As young adults we face similar questions with a focus on finding a career and a lifelong partner. And as parents we wonder if we will we be able to provide for our children and their happiness. As empty nesters we wonder if we’ve lived our lives to the fullest and at the end of our lives we hope someone will take care of us when we can no longer care for ourselves. Abandonment issues abound throughout our cycle of life.

The apostle Paul resoundingly tells us in this passage of the One who will never forsake or abandon us. He goes on to assure us that nothing will ever separate us from God’s love. We might feel estranged from God. Yet that will be our own choice not his. Sadly it is our sins that separate us from God. Yet in the end the love of God can transcend our estrangement with his all encompassing grace and mercy. The manifestation of that love is in the form of Jesus. His wondrous love securely anchors our faith. It is a powerful assurance that I’ve had difficulty truly understanding all of my life.

Maybe we are all similar to the small child whistling or singing in the dark. We’re not too sure where we are going. We don’t even know if we will know whether we’ve actually reached our destination when we get there. So we'll just sing or whistle until it feels right.

What is your favorite song?


Prayer: There are times when I feel so alone and abandoned. I sense the same fears in others that walk a similar path to my own. Yet you, God of the universe and of my own little part of it, somehow know just what I need. And you never leave me. Thank you from the very depth of my being. Amen

MCW