Enmity Toward Leadership

I’ve just completed reading a fabulous biography of our country’s first President by Professor Joseph Ellis entitled “His Excellency.” It is a remarkable rendering of George Washington and his leadership before and during the Revolutionary War as well as two terms as President. In spite of his shortcomings (we all have them) I don’t believe we can truly appreciate the significance of his accomplishments as most historians are generally in agreement that Washington was one of our greatest Presidents in what was a most crucial time in the formative years of our nation’s history. In short, Washington was exactly who our country needed at that time, or as Ellis puts it, “no one else could have performed these [historical achievements] as well, and perhaps no one could have performed them at all.”

What I found interesting (and saddening) was how quickly partisan bickering ensued during the infancy of our country’s development and how much of it was leveled directly against Washington himself both politically as well as personally. Ellis leaves us with the impression that although Washington was deeply hurt by the attacks, scheming, and betrayal against him (even by those whom he had trusted, including Thomas Jefferson), he continued to lead and live with dignity.              

Nearly eighteen hundred years earlier, the greatest of all leaders, Jesus of Nazareth, faced such cruel opposition as well. Most of us know that He was betrayed by Judas who was one of His very own handpicked disciples. We also read in the Gospels of the many dramatic confrontations Jesus had with the religious leaders of the day. We even read in the Gospels that, “They plotted to have Him killed.” We know they succeeded in their plotting.

The irony of all ironies is that the religious leaders plotted to kill the one and only person who was the fulfillment of all their Messianic or religious expectations. However justified they felt they were in having Jesus killed, He was their only hope! The hope of the world stood right before them and instead of revering Jesus for who He was and submitting to His leadership, they plotted against Him and succeeded in having Him crucified - how blinded and deaf they were indeed!

I find that those who are critical and even hostile against leadership in whatever context are many times belligerent against the very leadership they are in need of most even though they do not see it at the time. Enmity and rebellion toward leadership is the original sin as Lucifer rebelled against God. Enmity toward leadership is often the result of jealousy, arrogance, greed, ignorance, envy, narcissism, ulterior motives, and/or just sheer antagonism. As it turned out, history has vindicated Jesus, Washington, and the many other leaders who clashed with contemptuous “followers”.

There is a God ordained order in the world that includes submitting ourselves to those who are in leadership. So whether it be that boss or supervisor who doesn’t appreciate you, or that overbearing coach, or a President you may not agree with politically, or whoever it may be in leadership over you, to live as God intends is to submit to those who lead us. Enmity against leadership does not come from God but rather from a wayward, restless heart that must first submit to God’s leadership. For if we are truly submitted to God’s leadership, we can willingly submit to those who are in leadership over us. May God give us great leaders as well as great followers!