The reading from Micah (3:5-12) is harsh. Micah is focused on denouncing corrupt civil and religious leaders. He feels that people have been lead astray by rulers who have perverted justice and equality for the chosen people. He presents a contrast between what is good and evil leadership. Evil leadership violates people, destroys their spirit and breaks down relationships. Good leadership is based on love and responsibility, it is courageous truth telling and a passion for justice.
The reading from Matthew (23:1-12) has Jesus facing off with the Pharisees and the scribes once again. It's not the law that has caused frustration for Jesus--he commends the law, and elsewhere he has said that he has come to 'fulfil the law'--rather it is the actions of the scribes and Pharisees that has him distressed. He has watched and confronted time and again the misuse of their authority. They have been busy leading people astray-- making names for themselves instead of glorifying God, focusing on their need to be honored and noticed instead of focusing on God, and being unwilling to relieve the burdens of the people instead of taking responsibility for the community. In other words, they have been acting like the corrupt civil and religious leaders that Micah is railing against. But Jesus offers those who are listening an alternative way of approaching leadership. He says it isn't about having the best seat at the table, but rather be the humble servant. Faithfulness isn't about pious words or orthodox convictions, but about the orientation of one's heart. Our hearts should be focused on God's love and mercy as demonstrated through justice and peace. That doesn't mean doing away with the law...remember the core of the law is to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. Rather, it means to seek for ways to improve how people are treated and to promote well-being, goodwill, health and wellness, not just for some, but for all. Our baptismal covenant calls us to this kind of faithfulness--will we strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being--we will with God's help. This is the community of faith that Jesus calls us to--one of humility, generosity and equality.
For Lutherans (and I guess in a loose sort of way us too), this Sunday is Reformation Sunday. It is the day when Martin Luther is honored for confronting the selling of indulgences by the Roman Catholic church. In essence, he was confronting the corruption of religious leaders, just as Micah and Jesus did. He saw the corruption as creating unnecessary burdens on the people, and that the church had gone astray from promoting justice and peace, and he demanded change.
So all of this has lead me to a series of new questions about modern prophets and discipleship. In the leadership roles that we each claim, do we:
--profess a humility that we don't practice?
--strive for justice and peace?
--create unnecessary burdens or seek to relieve the burdens?
--lack moral vision or promote responsible freedom?
--practice good stewardship of our responsibilities?
I think that if we remember that God is our common center, and also listen when we hear the call of the prophets, we can, with God's help, be servant leaders. But it isn't easy...our egos have to get out of the way. And that is why we must pray, study and reflect on our lives and leadership...so that it may be a life worthy of God.