Have you ever walked up to a building and tried to enter into a door that is clearly marked "pull" but you paid no attention and tried to push your way through anyway? I do this often sometimes on the same door over and over again. You would think that after several attempts ending in injury instead of entry I would learn, but, my head is obviously too thick to get it.
I think this is a good analogy for how leadership works in the church. Biblically, leadership is defined as service. The first will be last and the last will be first. If you want to be the greatest you must be a servant to all. Great leaders lead by example. They are in the front with everyone else following their movements. They are pullers.
Somehow we have gotten bogged down in this idea that leaders are supposed to be pushers. So we pay them a salary so that they can yell at everyone in order to push them into doing the right thing. They push this doctrine and that program and these rules but the only example of service they give is their pushing. So, as leaders, those who should be following them are actually being pushed by them and in turn end up pushing the person in front of them who pushes another, who pushes another and the pushing continues forward till everone is being pushed and no one is pulling.
If the door says pull, then pushing just causes injury and no one is able to enter.
Do you think that the kingdom of God has a door that says "push" or "pull"?
You are correct, it does not say push or pull, it says follow my example and do what I do. Simple relational reproduction of Christ likeness. 1 Peter 5:3
ReplyDeleteTim,
ReplyDeleteI've missed your conversation here. Thanks for contributing.
I agree, we follow Christ's example. The example He set isn't so much a list of works to copy as it is a devotion to and attentiveness to the will of His Father leading to good works.