Godly leadership shows itself as fair, flexible, and just. Many different things are taken into consideration before directing those under authority. Does the individual’s personality demand a strong hand of leadership or patience and gentleness? Although leadership presents varying challenges, the astute leader considers these challenges as opportunities for excellence. In turn, the effective leader always develops within himself the ability to discern how to lead and motivate the different people types. For instance, today’s passage shows Jacob explaining to Esau the need to lead on softly because the children could not endure a demanding journey. The same leadership methods simply will not work for every individual. A godly leader seeks out the Lord for help in determining what will best accomplish the will of God by strengthening his followers.
Before a man will ever learn how to be a great leader, he must first learn how to be a dependable follower. If he cannot serve without receiving recognition, he will never know how to handle the recognition once he takes on a leadership role. If a man will not follow instructions, he will never be equipped to give instructions that others should follow. Long before Joshua led the children of Israel into the land of promise, he faithfully served as the minister of Moses. Before Joshua became known as the leader of a nation, he faithfully gave himself to the previous leader of Israel. Likewise, before David became the king of Israel, he submitted himself as a servant to Saul. And lastly, before Elisha ever became a great prophet of God, he faithfully served under Elijah’s tutelage.
Far too many people allow themselves to accept unbalanced viewpoints. For instance, people focus on the glory of leadership while failing to realize the tremendous responsibility that comes with leadership. A student, for example, is only responsible for his own studies, while a teacher takes on the added responsibility for how he leads each of his students. A pastor who can’t rule well his own home has no business taking on the added responsibility of caring for the church of God (1 Timothy 3:4-5). An employee within a company is responsible to God for his own work. Yet, a company owner takes upon himself the responsibility for leading and caring for every individual affected by the company. With these truths in mind, we again focus upon today’s passage. James suggests that believers consider the responsibility that accompanies leadership before taking on a position of leadership.
A leader who has no followers is no leader. The disciples were given some explicit instructions from the Lord. Like each of us, they had a responsibility to do God’s work, yet Simon Peter chose instead to go fishing. His decision influenced others to move in the same direction away from the will of God. The disciples blindly followed his lead. The Lord had admonished Peter to strengthen his brethren (Luke 22:32), but under Peter’s leadership, the disciples became weak through disobedience. Perhaps Peter never desired to be a leader. He may have been satisfied to simply follow others, but God knew what was best for Peter and the other apostles. When Peter made the wrong decisions, he had others that he negatively affected. Every leader must consider that the direction he chooses will lead others in his footsteps.
People, especially the young or those new in the Lord, have many misconceptions. Leadership serves as a prime example because of a failure to grasp how it truly works. Many people dream of a future time when they will no longer have to submit to any authority. However, everyone has a leader to which he must submit and follow. God designed the home to have a specified order of authority: the children submit to the parents (Ephesians 6:1); the wife submits to her husband (Colossians 3:18); and the husband submits to the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:3). In the country, the citizens are to submit to the government (1 Peter 2:13-14) as the government submits to the Lord (1 Peter 3:22). Everyone is under some authority. Saved people are commanded to follow their Lord (John 8:42); whereas lost people follow their father, the Devil (John 8:44). Everyone answers to someone whether or not they acknowledge that submission.
God's children are supposed to be easily recognizable through their love one for another (John 13:35). Today's passage teaches Christians to be both kind and forgiving. In the midst of these two exemplary qualities, the Lord desires His children to show forth a tender heart. This means that our hearts ought to be easily moved when other believers are experiencing either joy or distress in their lives (Romans 12:15). Unfortunately, instead of exemplifying a tender heart, far too many believers are becoming more like the world by displaying a divisive spirit and by devouring one another (Galatians 5:15). Believers who are hard-hearted toward others are generally hard-hearted toward the Lord as well (1 John 3:17).
Today's passage tells the story of Jesus entering the synagogue. He immediately noticed a man with a withered hand. This man's physical infirmity moved Christ to compassion. Unfortunately, the religious leaders were simply calloused toward the man's predicament. The Pharisees watched Jesus closely, not because they were pleased with His gracious act, but because they sought opportunity to accuse the Lord for breaking their man-made rules. As the Lord observed the crowd, the Pharisees’ hardened hearts grieved the Lord to the point of anger. Of course, the Lord knew their thoughts and first sought to reason with them. He did the very thing which the Pharisees hoped He would. The hearts of the religious leaders that should have been tender and welcoming to God's miracles were instead full of pride and completely calloused. Christ's acts of compassion served to further harden their deceitful hearts rather than softening them.
No sensible person would ever ask to be on the receiving end of the wrath of God. The thought is completely illogical! Yet, this scenario takes place every day in the lives of those who live with hardened hearts toward the things of God. The Bible affirms that a humble spirit begs God's attention and brings His corresponding blessings (Isaiah 66:2). Contrariwise, a hard heart also garners God's attention but for judgment rather than blessing. Today's passage points out that the hard heart treasures up wrath against itself. This wrath rarely takes place immediately, but it will come in the “day of wrath.” It is important to recall that hardness of heart brought the plagues upon Egypt and it brought blindness to the Jews in Jesus' day. Ultimately, it will bring eternal damnation in the lake of fire to all those who fail to accept God's payment for sin.
The Pharisees repeatedly sought to trap the Lord by attempting to draw Him into controversial discussions. Today's passage demonstrates much more than a simple response to entangling questioning. Interestingly, we learn from the Lord's response that God's law made allowances for man based upon God's understanding of man’s nature. In other words, the Lord Jesus indicated that God gave some of the law simply because of the hardness of man’s heart! Unfortunately, these laws are used today by men to justify decisions contrary to God's will thus further validating the hard-hearted nature of man. In either case, God's ways are never thwarted. God's laws allow even man's wickedness to bring about God's justice and His laws further expose the inherent shortcomings of man. God graciously gave some of His laws to make allowances for man's weaknesses caused by sin.
Today's passage explores the scene as the Lord met with His eleven apostles for the first time following His resurrection. The word afterward pinpoints the timing of the passage as having occurred after He had appeared to others. For instance, the Lord had already appeared to Mary Magdalene. She told the disciples the great news of Christ's resurrection, but the Bible says that they did not believe her. Shortly thereafter, the Lord appeared directly to the apostles and scolded them for their “unbelief and hardness of heart.” A heart that is tender serves as fertile ground for faith. However, a hardened heart does not allow the seed of faith to grow. Mark 6:52 confirms this principle as it points out that “they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.” Hardness of heart prevented faith in the disciples during that time and will do the same now in any believer who fails to remain tenderhearted.
