"Get out of my way," they might be heard to say, "... because I'm in charge, and you aren't!" Or maybe, "Look out and scoot over, I'm going to get things done!"
Is this an exaggeration? Possibly, but I'm betting that if all of us stopped for a brief moment and considered our past, we can think of at least one person who went through life in this manner. It is often an effective leadership strategy in the short run, but can result in the need to 'clean up the bodies' at some point down the line. In other words, the "get it done at any cost" philosophy may not make you many friends in either the business world or your personal life.
If we consider what happens when the powerful and elite are left unchecked, history seems to often show us that corruption is the result. Not always, but typically. Germany had Hitler, Russia had Stalin, and Cambodia had Pol Pot. Not very nice people. There are also modern day parallels of course (I will let the reader fill in these blanks on their own).
In the time of Jesus, Palestine had its elitist rulers also. Leaving aside the New Testament stories of the wicked King Herod for a moment - let's turn to who was running the show relating to all things religion. People will remember the Pharisees as one very powerful and influential group of religious leaders, known for being venerated publicly, and all but worshipped by their followers. They were considered the church's elect scholars at that time.
We remember what the Gospel accounts tell us about these folks when it came to the crucifixion of Jesus. Mark 15:29-31 says this, "Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, 'So, You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!" In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. 'He saved others,' they said, 'but he can't save himself!'"
The Pharisees missed the entire point of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross as an atonement and sin ransom for mankind. The expectation they had about how God uses power was to say the least ... flawed. They expected a miracle, a show of force. Some way in which Jesus might supernaturally leap off the cross and avoid his own death. God showing up as an act of service through sacrifice seemed foreign to them. They didn't understand what God was doing at that point in history. And sometimes, if we are being honest, we may not always understand it either.
How often do we secretly wonder how great it would be if God above came down and smote our enemies right in front of us? How much do we want things to go our way sometimes, and no one else's? 'Where is this all-powerful God now' we might wonder to ourselves when life throws us a curve ball.
It is important to note also, that God can often work through the meek and the mild. He can (and often does) choose to be long suffering and patient, as opposed to wrathful or domineering. Certainly the Bible recounts stories of pillars of fire and the sending of plagues through entire nations; though typically only after a prophet has been sent to warn them to repent. And yet, at other times we have this image of Jesus as allowing himself to be baptized by another person, or washing the disciple's feet. Power and authority turned on it's head, or so it would seem, according to the way the rest of the world works.
I once had someone tell me that real power is a peaceful demeanor, and not a show of force. What an interesting way to think about governance and leadership! What did Jesus show us about how God works? Wasn't it often through teaching, healing, and love? Do any of these things involve force or coercion? Not likely.
I have always been drawn to peaceful people myself. I much prefer to spend time with a leader who can trust and encourage, than one who feels the need to control and stay in power. The fruit of those two styles of leadership are so very different. There are times where a show of force is necessary of course, but I would be willing to argue that it's much less than most would presume. Think back to your own lives - were you drawn to the bully or to the righteous protector?
And so it forces me to think about the following question, as it pertains to this current generation. Are we seeking God's power and miracles (His hand), or are we pursuing His counsel and guidance (His face). It is so very, very easy to continuously ask for miracles and action in our prayer life. I'm not saying this is wrong mind you; God is sovereign and can answer prayer however He sees fit. But it does remind me to try to cultivate a desire to seek after His face instead, at least more often than the other. To have His presence in my life be sufficient, even if He doesn't heal this or that. Easy to talk about; more difficult to live out.
When dealing with a holy God, it can be easy to desire a supernatural show of force I think ... to want that quick fix miracle. Probably better, however, to simply be grateful for what He has already given us. If the miracle did occur, would we really know what to do with it anyway? Would we be arrogant and boastful about it, or meek and mild?
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