The city is yours. Take the crown. Proclaim yourself as king. All our battles we have fought for you. We want you to rule us…. [Subject # 1]
My Lord Cid. We have given up everything for you. We implore you to take the crown. [Subject #2]
I take Valencia in the name of my sovereign Lord Alfonso- King of Castille, Leon, and Asturias. Of Segunta, Almenara, of Castejon and Alcantara. King of Christians and Moors. Valencia for Alfonso by the grace of God, King of Spain! [El Cid]
What a noble subject. If he only had a noble king. [Subject #2-To Himself]
– El Cid. Scene 41
El Cid (1961) starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren is an epic movie of a Spanish knight who was unjustly treated and banished by his king. He rose as a leader and went on to do mighty exploits including taking the city of Valencia- a critical stronghold that would have allowed the Moors easy access to conquer Spain. His men wanted him to rule the city. Nevertheless, to honor the authority of his king, he relinquishes a crown that he could have taken for himself. How many of us would be willing to relinquish something precious and let someone who has wronged us have it?
I am reminded of David who had not only one but two chances to take King Saul’s life (I Samuel 24,26). Why not kill him? After all, Saul was unjustly persecuting him and trying to take his life. And besides, God had already anointed David as the next monarch. But instead, David takes the high road. David was such a man of integrity that in his first opportunity to get rid of Saul, he even felt convicted for cutting the edge of the king’s robe.(I Samuel 24:5). Notice David’s words to Saul after that incident:
Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’? Look, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? Therefore let the LORD be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.” – 1 Samuel 24: 9-15
You would think that after two occasions of showing his true intentions, Saul would have a change of heart towards David. But the outcome turned out to be different than in El Cid. In El Cid, the king of Spain repents of his ways, and honors his subject. In contrast, Saul said he was sorry, but his actions proved otherwise. Eventually, Saul’s life decisions and lack of repentance reap what he has sown as he meets his end in battle against the Philistines(1 Samuel 31). But notice that even after Saul’s death, David does not cease to honor him by mourning for him (2 Samuel 1:17-27), and slaying the man who slew the king (2 Samuel 1:1-16). These were just some of the life experiences that God would use to shape David’s character as a future king of Israel.
Usurping of authority because of injustice can be a very real temptation in the heart of a leader. When you know what you are called to do and you see things that aren’t right, you can be tempted to take the reins yourself. Moses killed the Egyptian (Exodus 2:11-15) and Peter cut the ear of the high priest’s servant ( John 18:10-11) but what did it accomplish them? It wasn’t God’s way. But leaders must learn to be like the centurion who recognized Jesus’ authority to handle matters:
Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” – Matthew 8: 8-9
Over time, God shaped and molded Moses more and more into His character until he was fit to lead the nation of Israel. And it all happened under God’s directive, God’s way, and God’s timing. In fact, the Bible described Moses at this time as the meekest man on earth. (Numbers 12:3) Likewise, the Peter who took control of things in the garden (John 18:10-11) was later surrendered to the control of the Holy Spirit when he went on to boldly proclaim Jesus on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2: 14-41).
Congregation members, peers, fellow pastors, area leaders, the community at large, etc. can be directly or indirectly affected by the sphere of power and influence that a pastor has. And God will hold a leader accountable for it. And there is nothing better that the enemy would like to do than to have a leader compromise through presumption:
Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
‘ He shall give His angels charge over you,’
and,
‘ In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”[
Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.”
-Matthew 4:5-7
When you are secure in who you are, you don’t have to prove yourself. The best gunfighter in town knows what he can do and he doesn’t have to give a demonstration just because someone questions and/or challenges him. And just like the devil told Jesus, If you are the son of God , he can approach a leader and say, “If you are truly a man or woman of God ..” But the reality is that he is baiting you into a con game because there are no “ifs” when you are.
Jesus’ use of power and influence flowed out of relationship with the Father and was motivated out of love (I Corinthians 13:4-8):
Love suffers long and is kind
Jesus’ encounter with the woman caught in adultery in John 8 is an example of how mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13). What could have been condemnation instead became an object lesson to show the condition of people’s hearts and their need for God.
Reflection: In the daily grind of serving God, have you ever felt tempted to throw a stone when, in fact, God wants you to show patience and kindness?
Love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up
“Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”
But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.” (Mark 9:38-39)
Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. (John 6:15)
Reflection: How you ever felt tempted to promote yourself and/or compete with other leaders?
Love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil
When the disciples were not received in a Samaritan village (Luke 9:51), their reaction was to ask Jesus if He wanted them to command fire to come down from heaven to consume the people. But the response was a rebuke from Jesus: You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them. (verses 55-56).
Reflection: Have you ever felt tempted to use your power in the wrong way when you’ve felt like you’ve been rejected or wronged?
Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth
There were several instances when Jesus showed the tough side of love such as when he overturned the tables of the moneychangers at the temple (Luke 19:45-47) or when he called the Pharisees “white washed tombs.” (Matthew 23:27 ). He did not subject his power and influence to the whims of men such as in Matthew 16 when the Pharisees and Sadducees tried to tempt Jesus by wanting Him to show a sign from heaven.
Reflection: Have you ever been afraid to stand up for what is right?
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things
Love for the Father and all of us is what motivated Jesus to stay on course so we could all be redeemed. As the scripture says, Perfect love casts out fear. (I John 4:18). It’s what allowed Him to, just to name a couple of examples, agree to take the cup of suffering (Matthew 26:39), not bail out by calling legions of angels to rescue Him at the garden (Matthew 26:51-54), and walk in forgiveness even at the cross (Luke 23:34)
Reflection: Are you allowing God to continually pour out His love in your heart so you can run the race with endurance?
Concluding Remarks
I don’t think any leader who truly loves Jesus will ever intentionally want to tempt the Lord by usurping his authority. But that doesn’t mean that the enemy will not try to come with a proposal in an opportune time when the leader is feeling tired, flustered, and under pressure. The enemy is waiting for you to step outside of the element of the Spirit and faith. An insecure leader operating in the flesh and self can feel threatened by others and can makes him or her do things to prove to others and to themselves who they are. This is what happened with King Saul’s ministry and the results weren’t pretty.
Who you are determines what you do and how you respond. A leader needs to continually tap into his or her true identity in Him. As Paul said, Yet not I but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20). The words, decisions, actions, etc. of a secure leader come from the inner core of his person:
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.– John 13:3-5
Oscar Cuan 