Following the Leader

One was very "laid back" - casual? - in their discipline. Our session was first thing on Friday morning. It so happened that the school day started half an hour earlier on Friday - which led to a very ragged beginning as children wandered in late.

Another was an older school. Discipline was good, but not repressive. The children had a marked eagerness to learn.

The third was in a rapidly growing area. The sound of teachers shouting could be heard from the front gate of the school. One sensed that the children were "held down" and waiting to take advantage of the least opportunity.

There were many reasons for these differences. It was in part due to significant variations in socio-economic status and to a range of family situations. However, it also had to do with differences in leadership.

One week it was raining. The third school hadn’t finished their assembly under one of the buildings. A child came up to the principal with a question and was answered at point-blank range through the portable PA system.

As children, we played "follow the leader." Like so many childhood games, it imitates one aspect of adult behaviour. And we play it for the rest of our lives! Whether it is life-styles, fashions, politics... none of us wants to stand out from the crowd with complete originality. That’s why opinion polls are such a manipulation at election time - how is everyone else going to vote?

Psalm 72 is attributed to "Solomon." But it is about an ideal king - far greater than Solomon. He is looking far beyond his own reign to the ideal king - God’s coming "anointed one," the Messiah.

The opening verse is a prayer that the king will be endowed with divine "justice" and "righteousness." "Justice" here speaks of the fairness and integrity of his administration. "Righteousness" is much more about his character. The two, of course, go hand in hand, and they are placed together here as parallel phrases in the manner of Hebrew poetry.

Having received these divine gifts, the king will rule righteously and his reign will bring prosperity and peace - the word translated "prosperity" in v. 7 is shalom with its rich meaning of completeness, soundness, welfare and peace.

But it’s far more than having good government and justice. The ideal king will be a leader to follow. "He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth" (v. 6). His presence, his character, his example... will encourage good qualities and actions within society as a whole. As a result, "in his days the righteous will flourish" (v. 7a).

"For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight" (vv. 12-14). The rule of the ideal king will be very different from much that we see in the world today.

"All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed" (v. 17b). These words recall the call of Abraham, "I will bless you... and you will be a blessing... and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you" (Gen. 12.2-3). This isn’t the blessing of a particular nation, but a blessing available to the whole world.

Follow the leader? Be careful who we follow! More than we realise our attitudes and actions are often shaped by those we follow. In the normal course of life we do have to depend on many people. But don’t place our ultimate trust in any mere human leader. At some point or another we will be let down and led astray. But we can depend on the ideal leader, Jesus Christ, who said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (Jn 14.6). He will never let us down.He will never lead us astray.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, even as you called your first disciples, you are calling us, "Follow me!" Yet we cannot go where you went or do all the marvellous things you did. And you died on a cross! You died so we can be forgiven. And you promise to walk each day with us. Help us to walk with you - to receive your life and grace, to be filled with your genuine compassionate love for others. We bring this prayer in your name, Amen.

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