Jesus and the Quest for Leadership in a Fragmented World

by Rev. Victor C. Yakubu  |  11/24/2019  |  Weekly Reflection

The virtue of human life is to be content with what you have. What makes life meaningful is the ability to acknowledge the blessings we receive from family and friends. If you grumble every day because of what you don't have, you may not appreciate what you have. On the other hand, if everyone got what they ever wanted, they may grow up to be arrogant. It however does not diminish the desire to seek what you want by keeping a positive attitude that those things can materialize tomorrow. Hope therefore, is a virtue that urges you to keep a positive posture that your dreams will come true someday.

From all indications, a review of the world's woes can directly be attributable to individuals who feel dissatisfied by certain standards in the world. Instead of accepting opposing views, they indulge in violent means towards a resolution as compared to a dialogue. The number of dissenting voices or groups is growing day by day and the effect of their collective dissatisfaction has rendered many innocent souls destabilized. This makes leadership uniquely important in guiding nations, peoples, individuals, or groups towards convening at the dialogue table to resolve those glaring differences. Most often the leadership gaps we identify can either increase the tensions between dissenting groups or lessen our focus for solutions.

The issues of our humanity should not be overlooked and underrated on the altar of dissent or personal vendettas. The transformational leader summons even the most dissenting voices to a round table in order to find commonality in what is possible and ideal to curb the clear and present dangers.

The celebration of Jesus Christ as King of the Universe is a reminder to Christians that patience is a virtue all leaders should embrace. Imagine Jesus before Pilate and the humiliation he had to undergo. Pilate did not want a rival king, so he sought to destabilize Jesus with questions such as "Are you the King of the Jews?" and "I am not a Jew, am I?" Jesus used patience to diffuse an already tensed situation. He carefully answered all the questions of Pilate and added, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." It sounded reassuring for Pilate to hear that Jesus was not rivaling his kingship. Pilate's mindset was geared towards finding out if Jesus was a rival king. He did not find that.

This dialogue between Pilate and Jesus ended with an understanding of what they each represented. Pilate affirmed Jesus' position by saying, "Then you are a king?" and Jesus replied, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth." Jesus asserted his position at last and Pilate got the point about the existence of Jesus including his mission and mandate.

The divisions in the world are not because there are no leaders to unify us, but due mainly to dissenting voices that refuse to be pacified. When people don't get what they want, they easily slip into their enclaves and begin chanting hymns of discord. The book of Revelation encourages us to look up to Jesus for he is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things for unity and centrality. He alone can unite us and give our bruised egos the necessary direction.

We need leaders with the virtue of patience like Jesus before Pilate, to sing the hymn of unity under immense opposition. Divisions into camps that encourage a tooth-for-a-tooth or eye-for-an-eye, can only lead to blindness in the world. It takes courage to accept the fact that no matter how hard one tries; one may not get what they want. The reality is that contentment makes Jesus a model for all leaders and the led. People of faith should stand on the side of truth and work together with like minds to make this world a better place instead of allowing dissenting voices override our goals to peace and harmony in the world. Keep praying!

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