Spiritual Temptation: “Leadership”

Last year, my friend Roland Grenouillou introduced me to William C. Martin’s book The Art of Pastoring: Contemplative Reflections. I’ve been reading and re-reading it as part of my devotions, as I’ve found it to be very helpful in centering me on what is truly important as a pastor. I came across this meditation the other day and just wanted to post it here. It gives a vision of leadership that is very different from most other leadership books that I’ve read. And as I try to “lead” my congregation, this vision is one that I try keep in mind.

The pastor refuses to impose her mind.
Instead she honors the minds of her people.
She treats all within the parish
as lovable and trustworthy,
even when they are not.
This makes her difficult to understand.
People wait for her to lead.
Instead she waits for them to know
the voice within their own soul
which will lead them perfectly.

Martin then gives some observations:

Temptation

We are now into the season of Lent. As it has often been said, the forty days of Lent parallel the time that Jesus spent in the wilderness before launching his earthly ministry. As the synoptic Gospels show, Jesus spent forty days fasting, and during that time, he was tempted by Satan.

What does it mean to be tempted? We often have this image of temptation as something bad that seduces and captures us in its power. And there’s truth to that. But perhaps more profoundly, temptation is the seduction of something good that prevents us from attaining the best.

Think about the temptations that Jesus faced. He was asked to turn stones into bread. Providing basic food for himself, but more importantly, for all the hungry people in Judea is a good thing. And what a ministry impact he could have had among the oppressed masses! Next, Jesus was given the opportunity to gain power and authority over all the nations. Think of all the good that Jesus could have done if he had made all the kingdoms of the world into Christian nations! Finally, Jesus was asked to make a spectacle of himself by jumping off of the highest point of the temple and allowing angels to land him safely on the ground. Think of the good publicity that Jesus could have gotten! Through this one act, Jesus could have recruited thousands of disciples and given his ministry a good jump start.

But Jesus did not succumb to those temptations, as good as they may be. For what was at stake during Jesus’ time in the wilderness was the determination of the kind of Messiah he was going to be. During Lent, I’m asking myself: what kind of a person, a parent, a spouse, a student, a minister I’m going to be? Those are hard questions, but they must be addressed if I’m to be faithful to God’s call and mission. For in our individual lives and as a church, we know all too well the temptations to be relevant (turning stones into bread), to be powerful, and to be spectacular. They are good, but they may divert us from the best: worshipping God and serving God only (Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8). May God give us the vision and courage to seek first God’s Kingdom and righteousness during this season of Lent.