They do everything in order to be seen by people: they wear very wide bands of the law around their foreheads, and robes with large tassels.
They enjoy the first places at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and they like being greeted in the marketplace,and being called ‘Master’ by the people.
But you, do not let yourselves be called Master, because you have only one Master, and all of you are brothers and sisters.
Neither should you call anyone on earth Father, because you have only one Father, he who is in heaven. Nor should you be called Leader,
because Christ is the only Leader for you. Let the greatest among you be the servant of all. For whoever makes himself great shall be humbled,
and whoever humbles himself shall be made great.
REFLECTION:
Practice what you preach. This could have been an old aphorism yet a timeless reminder of what it means to become a leader.
Jesus reminds the religious leaders of his time of their real vocation which is to bring people closer to God; and it must begin
with a personal witnessing of their faith. Jesus has observed that the way the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees lead their people
are self-serving and a block for people to experience God.
These words of Jesus are a timely reminder for the leaders of our world today. Leadership is always related to power
and often power is the pitfall for many. Some had used leadership in order to enrich themselves instead of treating it as a gift
for greater service to God and His people. In our leadership practices, let us learn from Jesus who served in obedience to the Father’s will to serve.
Let our integrity of life witnessing be the power to effect change in the world.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2020