Living in the Spirit
June 29, 2015

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10

Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, ‘Look, we are your bone and flesh. For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The Lord said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel.’ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.
–2 Samuel 5:1-3

Laurence J. Peter author of the book, The Peter Principle, is also the source of the quote, lead, follow, or get out of the way. I have found that to be good advice over the years, although I have sometimes found it hard to practice. In its purest form, it probably does go too far for often quality change comes at the edges or fringes of practice. I have always, however, believed there are as many ways to do something as there are people doing it and, therefore, if the only issue at hand is the practical stages of implementation then the advice has relevance. We all need to be mindful of this as leadership changes occur in our lives.

Our scripture today is remarkably free of the chirping of “we have never done it this way before” or the other side, everything Saul ever did was bad. Saul is given credit for what he did do and David is recognized as the leader for what will be done. Leadership changes are rarely that clean. My guess is that David set the tone for this description.

I have found it meaningful to listen to what I just called chirping because while it might not be pertinent to progress, it most likely is a measure of the feelings, fears, and dreams of the group’s membership. Those feelings, fears, and dreams are the stuff of positive or negative participation.

Change in leadership is a routine part of life in the Body of Christ. We as members of the Body need to take stock of our own feelings, fears, and dreams at such times and with God’s help turn them into productive participation.

Prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. –St. Francis of Assisi.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.