Coffee With The Lord

Anyone who has had the responsibility of overseeing and leading a group of people (even born again, Christian people) has had to deal with rivalry – petty, jealous, competitiveness that sometimes surfaces within the group.  Someone does something that is perceived as an attempt to impress, get “an inside track” on the others, or gain an unfair advantage, and jealousy, animosity, and anger rears its ugly head!  Unity is threatened, the mission is clouded, vision evaporates, and shared values are compromised.  A sense of “team” disappears and suddenly it’s “every person for themselves!”

Well it happened among Jesus’ team of 12 – and Jesus provides “spiritual leaders” today an excellent case study in how to deal with this challenging situation (it’s found in Matthew 20:20-28)…

The problem – destructive rivalry – reared its ugly head…

“Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.  And he said to her, ‘What do you want?’ She said to him, ‘Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.’ … And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers!”

Jesus did not delay, He dealt with situation immediately by emphasizing “Kingdom values” (He emphasized that in Kingdom efforts we serve together as “servants” – we do not seek to gain advantage over one another with power and position, as the broader culture often does)…

“But Jesus called them [the 12] to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  IT SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU [a very powerful phrase in the Greek]!  But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave!

And then He provided the potent power of His personal example – He modeled the behavior and values that He emphasized!

“Even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many!”

It seems to me Jesus provided a wonderful pattern for any spiritual leader in dealing with this issue… When the problem surfaces > the values are emphasized and taught > then the leader personally provides a model of the behaviors expected in a team effort.

My response?  Lord, when destructive competitive rivalry rears its ugly head in any effort I am responsible to lead, help me to follow your example!

I know and realize Psalm 21 is the personal heartfelt expression of gratitude and praise by David, as king of Israel… It is uniquely his Psalm of thanksgiving for all the Lord had done for him as the leader of God’s people.  But after having read it today during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I decided to personalize it as an expression of gratitude from a common man for all the Lord has done for me!!!  Here it is rephrased as my personal expression of praise…

“Oh Lord, in your strength I rejoice, in your salvation I greatly exult!  So many times You have given me my heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of my lips!  You’ve met me with rich blessings and have crowned my life with so many things that are precious and valuable.  I asked life of you, and you’ve have given it to me – length of days that started in the past and reach from now into forever!  I glory in your salvation!  You’ve crowned me with so much more than I deserve!  I am most blessed now and forever!  You make me glad with the joy of Your presence!  I trust in You, and through your steadfast love I will not me moved!  Be exalted, Oh Lord in Your strength!  I will sing and praise You for you are powerful!” (Psalm 21 1-7 and 13 adapted for my personal worship)

I don’t know if it captures your heart as it did mine today, but if it does, I encourage you to use it to offer your heartfelt thanksgiving and praise to the Lord for all He has done – and does for you!

I was “the father of the bride” – and my wife and Shari’s attendants were fluttering over her like a bunch of “mother hens” … the tension was palpable!  Shari had to look just right for Tim, the groom!  It was too much for me – I had to get out of there!

I went over to the “guys side” – there was banter and lighthearted joking, but you could tell the groom was more serious… He was nervous – he looked in the mirror more than once, straightened his tie, and anxiously looked at his watch!

Big event – Shari Bartel was about to become Shari Bartel Dresselhaus!  Tim was waiting for that special moment when he would see Shari for the first time on their wedding day… Shari wanted it to be perfect – she wanted to look her beautiful best.  Tim wanted to be his best for his bride!  Both of them had waited for this moment!

The music began… Shari came down the isle… I can’t tell you Tim’s emotions (his face registered incredible pleasure!) – but I, the bride’s father can tell you mine… WOW!  WOW!!  I mean WOW!!!

And this picture (and these emotions) came to mind during my Bible reading today (I think you’ll see why)…

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord!  My soul shall exult in my God!  For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels!” (From Isaiah 61:10)

Just let me say, the Lord incredibly beautifies us with His salvation!  His righteousness prepares us for that special moment when we are presented, along with all others who have been transformed by his grace, into “the bride of Christ” (“without spot or wrinkle”)!  I believe, on that day, He will look upon us (transformed sinners “saved by grace”) with rapturous joy and feel what I felt on Shari’s wedding day… WOW!  WOW!!  WOW!!!

The point?  When we experience salvation, the ugliness of sin is replaced by the “makeover” of Christ’s righteousness – what was “ordinary” becomes “heavenly”!!  The Bible puts it this way in another location:  “For our sake He (God, the Father) made Him (Christ Jesus) to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5.21)

I want to be ready for that day… No, more than that, I want to live ready for that day!