Monday, 18 February 2008

I can't stand it ...

I can't stand it ... it really annoys me ... the approach to leadership, especially in marriages, that says: 'be a leader'.

I think it is 10,000 times better to say to a young man about to get married, to preach to myself when I have to teach a Scripture lesson, lead a church camp, or pick up my game in marriage ...
(where was I?)

I think it is 10,000 times better to say:

'you are are a leader. make sure you are a good one.'
'you are the leader in this class room.'

God has appointed you, he has appointed me to this role. Let's not get existential, or introspective, or debating it ... there is too much at stake. There are souls to be saved, lives to be re-oriented, kids to be moulded, examples to be set ....

The question for every husband, every teacher, every Bible Study leader, every boss, every father is not

'Am I a leader?'

But

'God has made me the leader. Will I be a good one?'

(This is a reality statement and not a command. husbands are not to become the heads of the family. They are the head of the family).
Eph. 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

(This is the choice. What sort of head will I be?)
Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

6 comments:

Gordon Cheng said...

Good stuff Andrew.

It's one application of how Christian ethics work, isn't it? "Be what you are", the idea behind Romans 6.

Unknown said...

You're right about Christian ethics, Gordon.

It particularly bugs me when engaged women try and get their men to lead. They say to them: you should lead me, you should be more of a leader etc...

This has the result of stripping his leadership from him. The very thing they don't want.

God has made them leaders. They should say to their men: 'You are my leader'. (If particularly exasperated they could say - 'make sure you are a good one').

Ben McLaughlin said...

Thanks Andrew, that's a really helpful thing to point out.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Hi Ben,

It is very liberating. (I don't mean to sound over-the-top) You and your wife seem to encapsulate the way that God set it up to be. Miss you guys heaps.

Ben McLaughlin said...

Wow, thanks mate, that is a huge compliment. We really miss you guys too-- be geart to catch up again soon. I have been keeping up with you guys through r's blog, which has been cool. I started a blog too (bandwagon ben), if you want to check it out it's http://ben-vanishingpoint.blogspot.com