Good Leadership

AM Psalm 72 • PM Psalm 119:73-96
Isa. 54:1-10(11-17) • Gal. 4:21-31 • Mark 8:11-26

One of the reasons I like the Episcopal Church is its hierarchy. I can listen to the authority of our Presiding Bishop Curry with my fellow Episcopalians and we can do our part to join the Jesus Movement through evangelism, creation care, and reconciliation. Our bishop, rector, vestry, and congregation at large each hone the message a little bit until I neatly find a way to do my part. The system of relying on a strong leadership feels efficient and I trust it.

The author of Psalm 72 acknowledges the goodness of just leadership. The author knows that if we have leaders that have received God's justice and righteousness, we can expect better protections for the poor, weak, and oppressed. But this still nags at me--how can we tell whether our leaders have received God's blessing? What happens if we follow the unjust, unrighteous leader? Could I be tricked into following a charlatan? Can I be led astray by charisma?

Because we are likely to live through both good leadership and bad leadership, and because every human being is flawed in some way, it is important for each of us to develop a set of values independent of a single charismatic leader. "Give me understanding, so that I may learn your commandments," prays the psalmist in 119. But, in our Gospel reading, Jesus warns "no sign will be given to this generation." I take this to mean that we must be sensitive to what is going on around and inside of us in order to find the truth. When we have ascertained our own values, only then will we have the metrics that we need to judge our leadership.

Written by Haley Hixson

In this time of uncertainty, it has helped me to listen to our Bishop Curry’s The Way Of Love podcast.