Leadership Can Be Helpful

Luke 20:1-6 and 45-46

When others refer to me as being a Christian, it is not in a way that would make me smile but is a tactic to extinguish my positive attitudes. I do everything I can not to add strife to those I run across from day to day. People have emotional and mental stresses, and I can relate to that. Because I understand, I am called a Christian in ways that accuses me, not praise me. People have concerns for their safety and well-being, so I try to be harmless towards them, and for that I am verbally blasted for being a Christian. People feel socially abandoned and isolated from the community, so I at least try to bring a smile, and for that I am criticized for being a Christian. People feel they have no real value to those around them, so I do all I can not to step on their battered esteem any further. For that, I am criticized for being a Christian. For many of us, our only sense of who we are is found in Jesus Christ because this world is so sinister in their consideration of others. Jesus has come to bring abundant life, but this world has come to kill and destroy, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

Jesus asked the leaders whether they thought His ministry was established based on human standards or whether it was from a Heavenly realm. Some leaders with influence over a lot of people have a real problem over who has authority over who. Especially when one influential person makes an effort to impart life and the other influence brings destruction and death. That makes me wonder where it is that our medical leaders, police leaders, community leaders, political leaders, and psychology leaders stand. Those are earthly concerns and people are suffering in this world. The one hope we have is in Christ, Jesus. It is in the Heavenly City where all of our pain and suffering will experience healing, joy, and celebration.

I don’t question the authority of Jesus, especially when the only other option is to rely on the authority of the enablers of heartache, turmoil, death, and destruction. In response Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
What a day of rejoicing that will be when we get to Heaven.

“And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders, and spoke unto him, saying, tell us, by what authority you do these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority? And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me: The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not? But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

Luke 20:1-6 and 45-46