I have recently been looking for good examples of leadership in the pages of Scripture. I quickly scanned the Bible and many individuals rose to the surface as prime candidates for study - Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, and Joseph. I easily came up with a list of 15 individuals that I want to explore in order to evaluate their leadership styles and/or their practical leadership actions. And that, a few individuals came to mind that were not on my top ten (or fifteen) list of biblical leaders, but I think will provide some interesting analysis.
For example, Zacchaeus is one such character. His story is found in Luke 19 and only takes up the first ten verses of the chapter. Zack lived in Jericho and we read (in verse two) that he was a chief tax collector as well as being very wealthy. As a chief tax collector, Zacchaeus must have had subordinates under his authority that gathered taxes and submitted them to Zack for collection and accounting. As a positional leader, Zack appears to have been quite successful as his wealth would indicate. Tax collectors were most often despised by the people, not only because they did not want to pay their taxes, but also because the collector was a Jew who was working for the pagan Roman government and assisting the foreign rulers in oppressing his own people. From the viewpoint of the Jewish community, the tax collector was one of the worst of sinners – a betrayer of his spiritual brothers and a traitor to his country. When Jesus decides to have dinner with Zack, the people criticize the Lord for entering the house of such a “sinner” (verse 7).
If you know the children's song about Zacchaeus, you know that Zack was short. He was so short that he could not see over the crowds that followed Jesus. I imagine that no one was going to do him any favors and make room for him up front. So Zack demonstrates the great leadership quality of initiative. He runs ahead of the crowd, finds a tree and climbs up the “ladder” in order to get a good view of the “Teacher” as he walks by. I really like this aspect of Zack's character – he was not discouraged to the point of giving up, but rather took the challenge and came up with a positive, creative solution. Zack had a goal – he wanted to see who Jesus was (19:3). I find this goal itself rather interesting. He did not desire to see what Jesus looked like, or to hear his voice, or to listen to his message, or even to see his miracles. Rather, he wanted to know who Jesus was. I believe that it was this goal – the thirst for spiritual understanding - that drove him up the tree.
When Jesus passed by the tree, he stopped and called him by name, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today” (v. 5). The text does not make it plain whether Jesus had ever met Zack before or if Jesus knew his name in a supernatural way, but the response of Zack is insightful. Verse six says that Zack came down at once and welcomed Jesus gladly. This is yet another special insight into Zack's heart of leadership – he demonstrated cheerful obedience to the Savior. For any Christian leader to be effective, he/she must be ready and willing to obey the truth of God's word...immediately, cheerfully, enthusiastically, and radically.
Zack's radical obedience is also seen in the dining room of this sinner. Verse 8 is such a great transformational verse that I must share all of it here:
“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, 'Look Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.'”
There is so much in this verse, but let me point out just a few golden nuggets of leadership. First, Zack has found the answer to his question – he wanted to know who Jesus was. Zack calls him Lord – not Teacher or Rabbi or Prophet, or Healer, but Lord. Second, his leadership commitment is now to the Lord and not the Roman government or his own pocketbook – he has decided to give ½ of all he has to the poor. Notice as well that this decision is immediate and definite – “here and now!” Third, the leadership transformation is deep and serious – Zack is going to pay back fourfold anyone whom he has cheated. One final detail that I think is significant is the fact that Zack stood up to make this declaration. It might have been because of his size, but I think it was primarily out of respect for Jesus and to be a public statement designed for all his guests to hear. This was not just a private promise whispered in the ear of God, but a loud commitment to an audience of many who would hold Zack accountable for his words.
The response of Jesus to these leadership characteristics is profound. “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.” Salvation - because Zack found the answer to his goal quest – Jesus was (and is) Lord! How cool is it that Jesus calls him a son of Abraham – not only does he reinstate a man who is despised as a traitor to his people, but also points to his sonship to the father of faith. Abraham was justified by faith (Gal 3:6-9); now too, Zacchaeus find his salvation in the same source of faith as the Old Testament patriarch.
I wish more was written about Zacchaeus because I would love to know the kind of leader he became after this transformational encounter with Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment