"Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you."
I've been trying to let that sink in, and am still feeling out what it means.
It's a very honest picture of leadership...leaders can't do everything on their own but depend on their followers a bit, particularly for confidence and submission (not a negative word, I believe). Leadership can bring joy, but also burden. Also, followers can make their leaders more effective (beneficial to the followers). In some ways I have a leadership role here at PV, but I think that today I rightly read this as a follower, as one who submits to a group of shepherds.
I'm trying really hard these days to figure out what it means for me to be the kind of follower that brings joy to our church leaders, and not burden. I know that while they do find a lot of joy in their work, I've seen the burden too. I know if we can learn to hear what this verse is saying, we'll be a better church. It seems close to the very heart of discipleship.
I guess this short admonition just caught me in the right place today. I pray that by God's spirit that bit of truth that it's planted in my heart can grow and bear fruit.
Thoughts?
4 comments:
Steven,
"Submission" is a comforting and even liberating word when we have shepherds who are spiritual leaders. Even when I don't understand a decision, I have no doubt about the prayer and unselfishness and spiritual discernment that went into their decisions. And when I sometimes feel uneasy about things, I know that I do not know and undertand all the things they know. My trust and confidence in them is a joy for me--and I pray that we will be a church that brings joy to them.
Kathy
That's right Kathy!
It's interesting that the Hebrew writer begins his admonition her with the encouragement to have confidence in our leaders.
I wonder what we do, though, when our leaders have proven themselves to be untrustworthy.
I promised to comment for you, so here goes. It is easy for me to have confidence in our elders at PV. But submitting to others is not easy. And I know what Matthew means about some leaders. He is not talking about PV though since he lives in Texas.
Too shy for a name.
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