After this a lot of his disciples left. They no longer wanted to be associated with him. Then Jesus gave the Twelve their chance: “Do you also want to leave?”

 Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.”

John 6:66-69 (The Message)

There is a now famous saying that President Harry S. Truman had on a little plaque on his desk- “The Buck Stops Here”. The saying is perhaps a bit trite nowadays, but the principle is still relevant. Back in those days, the early 1950’s, the idea resonated bit more than it does today. We had just come through the great conflict of World War II, and military type thinking was still much more accepted. Radical responsibility said that the leader took full ownership of anything that happened under his/her watch. If there was a mishap, a failure, a problem, the leader took responsibility for it, even if the specifics of the problem were not directly attributable to the leader.

President Truman had to make some very difficult decisions. He had to decide upon dropping the atomic bomb on Japan. He had to decide proper actions on a national steel strike. He had to decide on firing General Douglas MacArthur when MacArthur defied orders. Truman made some important, and often unpopular decisions, but he owned them and accepted the consequences.  

Perhaps this is harsh, but it points out the ultimate nature of responsibility. The leader does not get to blame underlings or others for failures that happen on his/her watch. Blame is not projected onto others, and the leader cannot act like a victim. Real leaders accept that they are ultimately responsible for the organization they lead and, by extension, the lives of those people in that organization.

People can follow a leader whom they trust. People can trust leaders who accept responsibility, and those who own the consequences of their decisions. Casting blame onto others for failures is not an option. Yes, leadership is hard, and often unfair. But that is the cost of leadership.

Prayer: As Peter replied to Jesus, you are the only leader who has the words of life. Help us follow, Amen.

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.                                                                                                            Philippians 2:5-8 (The Message)

I have been a student of leadership principles for a number of years, and I will be sharing some of these elements of leadership in the next few blogs. I have always believed that humility is a fundamental character trait for leadership, and I was gratified to see that Doris Kearns Goodwin, a giant of scholarship, agrees with that principle. When I teach, I use various historic world leaders to amplify that point, and one I always use is George Washington.

Washington was a unique leader. After having led the Continental Army to victory over the British in the Revolutionary War, he went to Congress and turned over his sword to them, yielding to the authority of that elected body. Remember, at that time, the only tangible power that existed in the newborn country (indeed, at this point, we did not even have a Constitution) was the standing army. He led that army, and he turned over the power of that force to the civil government.

The rest of the world was astounded at this gesture. Military leaders of that era could be expected to simply assert their military might into ruling the country they represented. Washington gave an example of the principle of submission to civil authority. The rule of law would supersede the rule of might.

What does a great leader do with his/her power? They use it for the good of the people they lead. They empower others to act rightly for the common good. The paradox is that great leaders find a way to give away power responsibly- not hoard it for themselves. In this way, real authority is exercised, not just the flaunting of raw power.

When Jesus humbled himself to come to the earth as a baby, he exemplified this principle in the most dramatic fashion.

Great leaders give themselves away to serve those whom they lead.  

Prayer: Thank you Father for the example of servanthood as true leadership, Amen.

 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.                                                                                                                                                                                         II Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

As I write this blog, election returns have not yet been tabulated, and we do not yet know who our next President will be. We hear rumblings about possible civil unrest regardless of which man wins the office. This breaks my heart. Then it makes me angry.

We have a long history of elections, and subsequent transfer of power if the incumbent loses the election. Similarly, should the incumbent win, we have been committed to accepting peacefully the will of the electorate. Regardless of the winner, and we may not know for some time after November 3, our proud nation must be committed to peace and adherence to the orderly processes we have had for over two centuries.

We have been blessed by so many elements that have contributed to our success as a nation.  French observer Alexis de’ Tocqueville allegedly wrote that “America is great, because America is good”. Whether or not he actually uttered that statement, I believe it to be true. The greatness of our beloved United States lies in the generosity of spirit of its people, the courage of her defenders, the commitment to hard work, wonderful natural resources, and reliance upon God’s provision for our country to be the rescuer of other nations whose own freedoms were being threatened.

To think that this country could be beset by civil disobedience because of the failure of a particular candidate is appalling to me. This country has had some good Presidents, some poor Presidents, and even some great Presidents. However, this country is much bigger than the person who sits in power at the White House. The beauty of our republic is that there is an orderly process whereby we elect a new President every four years.

My hope, my prayer, is that the greatness of the country will be shown in the reason and caring of its people, regardless of the election, to maintain the integrity and character of the United States of America.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for your generous provision for the country we love. As the words of the song go, “Stand beside her, and guide her, through the night with the light from above” Amen

 Jesus said, “So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.”                                                                                                                                      John 20:29 (The Message)

This faith thing is pretty hard. God calls upon us to exercise faith in him with out ever having seen him. He knows, of course, that this is hard, and that is why he told Thomas- yes, “doubting Thomas”- that he had believed because he actually saw and experienced the risen Jesus. Others, all of the rest of us who have followed in this faith journey, believe without the benefit of sight. Jesus said, that even better blessings are in store for those who believe without sight.

So, it seems that our vision of God must come through other means. It must come in his creation. It must come in seeing the grand spectacle of towering mountains, or magnificent oceans. Better yet, it comes in seeing him in other people. In sacrificial gestures of kindness and heroism. In parents who live for, and sometimes die for their children. In first-line responders who put their life on the line every day for others.

When our faith is flagging, we get renewed in seeing the faith of others. I think that is what Jesus meant when he said, “Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.”     

Prayer: Thank you Lord for helping us to see you through others, Amen.

But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams

I Samuel 15:22

In yesterday’s blog I talked about the ten lepers whom Jesus healed as he travelled the roads between Samaria and Galilee. The significance of the border between Samaria and Galilee was that Jews and Samaritans were at odds. Tribally, culturally, theologically, historically – all those deep-rooted reasons existed for those people groups to be enemies. Yet, in that leper group, they were traveling together, despite those deep differences. It seems that life-threatening circumstances overcome even those major differences among people. They shared the suffering of leprosy and social isolation. They were desperate men.

When they came to Jesus for healing, he told them to “go and show themselves to the priest”. This was the command from Moses from ancient times, and Jesus invoked this to the lepers. Jesus could have healed them right there, right away. He had done that before. In this instance, I think he wanted an object lesson for them, for his followers and for us. I think the message is that as we meet God at the place of obedience, he does what we cannot do – heal ourselves.

We know of course, that the lepers obeyed Jesus and did find healing along the way. When we obey what God instructs, that allows him to do the healing that only he can do. Our natural actions can give rise to God’s supernatural interventions.

What a great lesson for us. Our obedience frees up God’s hand in our life to do amazing things. Our job is to let him do it.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the plans you have for our benefit, Amen.

 As Jesus went to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee.  As He entered a village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood at a distance.  They lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned with a loud voice glorifying God,and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan                                                                              Luke 17: 11-16

Yesterday I talked about the U.S. Senate, and their collective failure to step across the aisle to know one another and work together despite the crises that we are facing as a nation. I alluded to a Bible story of the ten lepers who, in their pain and loss, came together and sought Jesus as the solution to their problem. Problems change, but the solution doesn’t.

Those ten lepers that I talked about were both Jews and Gentiles, bound together in their misery of leprosy. In their plight, they saw that the thing that they had in common- the misery of leprosy- was bigger than the thing that separated them. Their cultural and religious heritage paled in comparison to the life-threatening disease with which they were commonly cursed. Their common need brought them together to seek the healing touch of Jesus. Upon encountering Jesus, he told them to go and seek the priest, and as they did, they were healed along the way. As they obeyed his words, they went on their way following his command, and they were healed.

So today, I think that obedience to the commands of Jesus, to seek his healing, will save the day. People on both sides of the political aisle must seek the good of the people they serve, as God would have them do, and our nation can be healed. But it will not be a political party or path that heals us. It will be submission to the commands of the loving God who put them in place to serve as they were elected.

Both political parties have valid points to make. Neither has the corner on the truth. Only as we submit to the truth that each group has something to offer for the common good can we move toward healing.

Is this idealistic? Of course it is. Just as the gospel is foolishness to those who scoff at it.

Prayer: Lord, give us the strength to yield to you as the solver of our problems. That problem is, our distance from you, Amen.

 As Jesus went to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee.  As He entered a village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood at a distance.  They lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Luke 17:11-13

I find it of interest that the United States Senate seating is configured so that Republicans are on one side of the aisle, and Democrats on the other. Of course, we know that there is a large gulf between the two parties, policy wise, but there is also a physical distance between the Senators, marked by an aisle. The expression “across the aisle” is both a literal and figurative distance that, these days, seems to be more like a canyon than an aisle.

I heard recently that, based upon a video study comparison over a number of years, there is actually dramatically less physical crossing of the aisle than there has been in decades. The Senators literally keep their distance from one another. They don’t seem to talk across the aisle much anymore. We know that the more we separate from those we really don’t know, the less chance we have of developing a relationship, and getting to really know the other person. Lack of contact leads to reliance upon assumptions and stereotypes to define the “other”.

This is a problem. Not only for our Senators, but for anyone who really does not know the unknown individual who is seen as different, and therefore, possibly dangerous. Such tribal thinking is endemic to human nature, and it evolved for a reason. However, failing to challenge those stereotypes and assumptions can be very harmful, for both parties.

To the extent that our Senators do not interact with one another, we all suffer. There was a time when it was not this bad. I think it is now very bad.

We are, as a nation, suffering from serious problems- problems which could bring us together. I think to the Bible story of the ten lepers who banded together when they were in trouble and they needed help.

Tomorrow, I will talk about their situation.  

Prayer: Lord, you created us to be connected to one another and to you. Help us to find ways to honor your plan, Amen

Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

I am of a certain age, and I have voted in quite a few elections over the years. I do not typically share with the public for whom I voted, and I will continue that practice.

Except today. Today I am going to tell you who I voted for!

In 1976.

 I am giving myself a statute of limitations, and declaring that after 44 years, I can reveal my vote for President that year. I voted for Gerald Ford in his race against Jimmy Carter. Why did I do that? I mean, the country was in an awful economic downturn. We had the terrible double feature of high inflation and high interest rates. We were buying our first house that year, and we felt very fortunate to get an interest rate of 8% on the loan. Eight percent for heaven’s sake! Home loans these days are hovering, I think, in the low 3% range, and some lower. Why vote for the sitting President in such a poor economy? Because of his character.

President Ford, of course took office never having won a Presidential election, and he never would.

I voted for him because he was a man of integrity and courage. He made a decision that he almost certainly knew would lose him millions of votes- he pardoned his predecessor, Richard Nixon. He did this not because of a political deal, but because he knew that the country must move on from the debacle of Nixon’s treachery. He knew that the country desperately needed to heal. Yes, I have done some research on this, and there has never been a hint about a political arrangement for Ford to become President in exchange for his pardon of Nixon.

So, there it is. It took a great deal of courage for Ford to make that decision, and it likely cost him his own elected term as President. I so appreciated President Ford’s character that I wrote him a letter after the election. I do not recall ever having written to any other President, but I did write to Gerald Ford.

John F. Kennedy wrote a book titled Profiles in Courage when he was in the U.S. Senate before his run for President in 1960. In it he wrote stories about singularly courageous acts which may have been lost to history. This is one act that I would like to ensure is not lost to history.

Prayer: Lord, give our leaders strength of character, courage, and dependence upon you, Amen.

Therefore, put away all wickedness, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking. As newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow,if it is true that you have experienced that the Lord is good                                                                                                                                                                                          I Peter 2:1-3

In thinking about the Bible as a source of truth and wisdom, I have stated in past blogs that the Bible was never intended to be an explanation of the universe or a science book. It deals with human nature, relationships, moral codes, the virtue of laws, and it serves as a regulator of socially responsible behavior. It deals with all the things common to people, including our selfish nature, and the transformative power of a relationship with a loving God – about sin and redemption, and about hope.

I think of the Bible as like an Owner’s Manual. When we get a car, we also get an owner’s manual. Yes, I know, nobody reads the owner’s manual, but it is a pretty good idea to do it, because it really helps in determining how to extend the life of the car with proper maintenance, practical tips on how to do some simple fixes, and explaining what the proper measures are for tire pressure, the type and amount of oil to use, grade of gasoline, etc. It does not explain how the car was made, and indeed, I do not need to know how it was made. I just need to know that it was made, and that I am driving it, and how to maximize its life.

So it is with the Bible. It gives us very practical advice about relationships, how to treat other people, how to stay healthy in all ways, and how to find and maintain the most important relationship we will ever have- the one with our Creator.

The Bible gives us wisdom- if we read it. Remember the Owner’s Manual thing?

Yeah, like that.  

Prayer: Thank you Lord for your words to us- the words of life and health, Amen.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you                                                                                                                                                        James 1:5 (NIV)

In yesterday’s blog I talked about the pursuit of truth over the centuries, and that we have moved from accepting some truth as absolute, to a sense of relative truths, and finally to a belief that nothing can be certain.

Many, many factors are at play in this evolving thinking, not the least of which was the dawn of the “Enlightenment Era”, followed by our technical and scientific era of the present time. Science has blossomed exponentially, especially over the last two centuries, and as a society, we are reaping many benefits. Scientific breakthroughs have given us amazing advances in health, better sanitation, increased food production, longer lifespans, improved transportation- well you know, just about everything.

However, not all technology and science has been useful and good for the people of the planet. Terrible destructive weapons have been formed, many people groups are still oppressed and in poverty, and the environment has been damaged significantly. That is why the pursuit of wisdom, of truth, is now more important than ever.

The perspective on how we see truth has also been affected. Werner Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle had more than just an effect on science. It has thoroughly pervaded the culture. We now have the understanding that we cannot even exactly know the movement and locations of the very building blocks of the universe. At the subatomic level, strange and wonderous things happen, which we still do not understand. We cannot be certain at any one time of both the location and velocity of those particles that comprise our world. In other words, we can make predictions about matter and energy states, but we cannot be certain.    

I believe that this concept seeps into our culture gradually, and leads to a sense of relativism, or simply a belief that fate is in charge -that one can never really know the truth of things. One can choose that approach. Or one can conclude that the Creator alone has the answers to His creation, and that pursuit of knowledge is very different from pursuit of wisdom. Wisdom, that is, seeing the world the way God sees the world, is why the Bible was even written.

Tomorrow, more thoughts on that. Please stay tuned!

Prayer: Lord, you have promised Wisdom to us as we seek it from you. Give us clarity in that quest, Amen.