WHAT TYPE OF LEADER IS CHRIST?
God's word today gives us an insight to what type of leader is Christ our Lord.
Last week, we heard that Christ sent the disciples out for missionary work. After the work, sensing that they are tired, the passage shows that he values time for rest and rejuvenation.
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
Christ our Lord, is NOT the type of person that is bossy and work people to death. He values work, but also a time for rest and relaxation. He's NOT someone that is lazy. He himself works hard. Even after a long day of work, he continues to teach the people about many things, especially about the Kingdom of God. He also finds time to rest when he can, as is the case when he was asleep at the stern of the boat.
God's word affirms us that Christ is NOT a false prophet. He is NOT someone who says one thing and does another. He's true to his word. Christ is NOT someone who seeks his own advantage and personal gain. He's NOT a selfish leader. He is a Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. He doesn't have ulterior motives or hidden agenda. He only wish to bring salvation and freedom.
One of our struggles in our nation today is the threat of terrorism. For extremists, they think violence is the only solution. In contrast, Christ the Lord, is not a violent person. Nor does he advocate for violence. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons and daughters of God.”
Christ is a good shepherd who cares for his sheep. This is the type of leadership that describes Christ.
THE VALUE OF REST
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place, and rest a while.”
Rest is not understood simply as an absence from work. Rest is not an end in itself. The act of resting has a deeper purpose.
God sets a limit to work in the Creation Story. After 6 days of creation, God rested on the 7th day. The Hebrews called it the Sabbath. There is a time for work and a time for rest. The Church moved the Sabbath to the Sunday. Because Christ rose from the dead on Sunday Morning. Every Sunday is the Lord's Day.
Rest also a deeper purpose which is to pause for self-evaluation. Otherwise, the work may be aimless without direction. Rest allows us to discern if we are heading down the right path towards God.
There was a story told about a group of explorers through the Amazon forest. They marched through the jungle for two long days, accompanied by a group of native people of the land. On the third day, the leader of the group wanted to continue and move forward. But the native people of the land refused to budge. When the leader of the group challenged them, they replied: “We can't go on. We have to let our bodies catch up with our souls.”
Every Sunday, and each day usually in the evening, we need to pause and stop, "so that our bodies can catch up with our souls". Otherwise, the body may not be in alignment with the soul. The soul wants to be close to God, and to live in a way that God wants us to live. When we don't find time for prayer, rest, retreat, vacation, self-reflection, we discover that it does not cause harm to God, but it brings harm to ourselves. That's why there is a time for work, and a time for rest. “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile."
Loving God, you give us the gift of work for self edification. You also give us the gift of rest to allow our body to catch up to our soul. As you model the importance of rest, may we value "rest" a time for reflection and discernment, to be closer to you, and to progress in the right direction.
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