Paradox of Perfect Leadership

Synopsis     Deuteronomy 6:8-20         1/30/2018

Moses encouraged the people to meditate on the law. He specifically directed them to use repetition. Recount the law often. He connected this with a warning that the greatest challenge the Israelites face is wealth. He warned them to not forget the God who brought them out of slavery and into abundance.

Moses and the Next Generation

In the Exodus, the children of Israel were utterly, entirely and obviously dependent on God for their daily way of existence. They couldn’t forget God if they wanted to. His physical manifestation was never more than a few hundred feet away. He gave them the manna, the “bread from heaven”, every morning. Relationship with God was a fully integrated part of the everyday life of the community.

As he spoke, it is clear that Moses understood the people he was talking to couldn’t imagine forgetting God. But he also understood that wealth and distance can make people disconnected – can make them forget. He also knew if that present generation wasn’t faithful to teach the next generation about God, then the project would fall apart. The Authentic Community would fail in infancy.

The Paradox of Great Leadership

Lao Tzu is quoted as saying, “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”

A great leader has so much respect for the autonomy of those led, that it is easy for followers to forget that they are being led. From a leadership perspective, this power denotes the highest degree of skill and freedom possible. A great leader doesn’t feel the need to be acknowledged in order to be satisfied. Freedom, especially from pride, allows for the expert use of this power.

God as Leader

God doesn’t need my praise. He created me. He fully respects my autonomy. He is the author of wisdom. His  is perfect leadership.

The paradox part of great leadership is that the people still need the leader, need the wisdom, need the vision – whether or not they realize it.

God respects the autonomy He gave me so much, that He doesn’t demand credit for my success. And so, if it’s possible to forget Him, am I the worse for His perfect leadership? That’s the paradox.

Moses saw this hazard: The greatest danger to Israel was that they should forget God. Because if they did, they would be left believing they had accomplished the great cultural achievements of ancient Israel on their own. They would stop following God, as God. They would begin using Him like a magic trick – believing He was unnecessary to their happiness and success.

The Post-Modern Paradox

Nowadays, they say we live in the time of the greatest technological progress in the history of mankind. They say there is no problem we can’t solve for ourselves if we work together. We will conquer Mars, then the solar system. Our imaginations are our only real constraint. Even for that we’ve invented artificial intelligence.

I see this. I think of Israel.

The greatest danger to me – the greatest danger to the Authentic Community – is the same.

“For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Rev 3:17