Follow The Leader

Here's part 2 in the series on unity. I have been challenged this weekend with how God uses even painful persecution to accomplish His purpose of making us more like Jesus (Hebrews 12). This article is a beautiful picture of God-centered submission within His bride, the church. I am grateful that Ron has allowed me to share it with you. ~Jon

Follow the Leader
by Ron Bergthold

If a conductor and a watermelon were both dropped from a tall building at the same time, which would reach the ground first? (Answer: Who cares?)

Does a good orchestra really need the conductor waving his arms? Everyone knows the rhythm section sets the pace and energy. Accomplished musicians can read a tech sheet, understand changes to the score, and listen well enough to those around them to competently create an excellent product on their own. Yes, at least when the players are reasonably decent, the guy up front is essentially inconsequential, right?

Even worse than the inconsequential is the leader who has irritating habits or damaging flaws. We cringe at what might happen next and know that we deserve better. Life would only improve if someone else (maybe us!) were in charge and the conductor, the supervisor at work, the parent, the government or the pastor simply left, providing us the needed freedom to creatively express our own heart. It is here we have both great opportunity and danger.

God purposefully delegates some of His roles to imperfect human leaders – and then very clearly tell us to “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men…” (1 Pet 2:13a). God did not command this just to frustrate us, but rather for the sake of His Name and for our good. He uses flaws of our authorities to drive home lessons that we would otherwise miss (hence the opportunity).

Peter goes on to tell the slave with a harsh master to keep on submitting, since “..if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable to God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.” (1 Pet 2:20b-21). Do we have that stubborn kind of submissiveness? Our resilient tendency is to justify our choice to go our own way and rebel against, quit, ignore, leave, or complain about our authorities and, in so doing, choose a much more dangerous path.

Musically, a director assists a group to honor and bring life to the composer’s written instructions and purpose. If one player or section refuses to soften as encouraged by the director, another voice or counter-melody will often be lost. If a percussionist decides that no accelerando is needed, even through directed, chaos will ensue. Our unwillingness to submit creates negative consequences for those around us. Think drunk-driving homicides, divorce, and strife within a church. And even greater than these visible physical consequences, we distance ourselves from or quench the Holy Spirit, and we dangerously miss what God graciously wants for us at that time.

Spiritually, God the Father is the Arranger of all creation and Jesus is the director who is in the process of reconciling us to the Composer and His desired state in us here on earth. Our full submissiveness to Christ and His delegated authorities will allow the composer’s intentions to unfold and, at the same time, provide us an opportunity of great joy. How submissive are you to the authorities in your life today?

For the TRBC Orchestra on September 3, 2008