the grand pecking order

by: John O'Keefe

oysterhead has a great song, that i just love.  it's called "the grand pecking order."  it's song off key and out of tempo - i love it - but more then the style, i love the lyrics.  here is a small samlpe:

"in the grand pecking order

i sit by the bathroom

getting ready to pass the bread

with a smile"

that is so very cool - and that is where i am sitting right now - and i want others to sit there with me.  but, alas.  the church, or our theology,  will not allow such a move.  after all, we are pastor, elders, deacons, leaders - and leaders sit at the head - they give direction, they give advice, they help others catch the vision, they are the bosses - we would never sit in such a spot - but the bathroom?  never.

flash back:

wavy-lines, wavy-lines, wavy-lines - back 2000 odd years ago to a small jewish rabbi teaching in the streets of a small jewish town - and he shares these words with us:

"So Jesus got them together to settle things down. He said, "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served--and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage." (matthew 20:25-28)

wow, "leaders" are to be slaves!  think about that for a second and contrast it with all the leadership books on the market today - even the "christian leadership" books.  no where does it say that leaders are to be complete servant to the people - that to be the greatest leader of all time, you will need to be a slave and die for others - a slave - think of all that that word has to offer - are you willing to be a slave?

to be a "leader" in the church jesus gives a few job qualifications:

1.  not to be like "secular" leaders

2.  don't throw your weight around

3.  don't let it go to your head

4.  be a servant to be great - even a slave

5.  be ready to die for those you serve.

not much - but it is a call so many "leaders" in the church are missing - where are you in the pecking order of life?

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