There is an unwritten rule in human behavior in in today’s society that seniority counts. This idea might be practiced in an even-handed way or a pushy way. For example, if a doctor has been practicing medicine for 5 years he will probably feel superior to a new doctor who has been practicing medicine for only 2 years. And the doctor may feel totally justified in pushing the new doctor around based on his seniority. The 5-year doctor may or may not be more knowledgeable. In every profession we see people trying to lord it over others based on seniority, academic credentials, rank, wealth, status, connections, etc.
Unfortunately we often see the same problems in Christianity. We see leaders who feel they have the justification for lording it over others based on their credentials, status, rank, or other arbitrary measuring sticks. People who have doctorate degrees will almost always feel superior to people who do not have doctorate degrees. People who have accredited degrees feel superior to people who have unaccredited degrees, even when those degrees are not produced by degree mills. People in local government often have degree mill degrees and feel superior to people who have no degrees at all, although a degree mill degree is just a certificate given in exchange for money. People with masters degrees generally feel superior to people who have only a bachelors degree. And, of course, at the bottom of the barrel are all the high school drop-outs, feeling, at times, inferior. And, yet, many geniuses are high school drop-outs. Most companies try to hire people with high level degrees and reject people who have little or no college. Doctors, especially medical doctors, are looked up to in most of today’s society. It’s no wonder they like to play God on occasions.
Christ’s plan does not include such a system. However, even disciples of Christ are sometimes unaware of this. The mother of Zebedee’s children wanted her sons to be the right hand man and left hand man next to Jesus. She wanted her son’s to be big shots in the coming kingdom (Matthew 20:20-21).
The other ten disciples heard about this and were angry (verse 24). Christ explained that the princes of the Gentiles (nations) lord it over others (verse 25) but a disciple of Christ is not to do such a thing.
“But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:26-27). Many leaders are unwilling to accept the system of Christ because they have a desire to exalt themselves.
“And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abashed; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).
One primary thing that keeps people from being a part of Christ’s system is pride.
“Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud” (Proverbs 16:19).
“…the patient in spirit [is] better that the proud in spirit” (Ecclesiastes 7:8). “…God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). “When pride comes, then comes shame: but with the lowly is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2).
Wily Elder
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