Leadership is--Disturbing

"There came a man sent from God whose name was John" (John 1:6, NASB1995)

Mystery and miracle surrounded him all his life. His approaching birth was announced by an angel to his father. Zacharias’ hesitancy to believe resulted in nine months of muteness. When the unborn child heard the voice Mary, the pregnant mother of Jesus approaching for a visit, he leapt in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth. When he was born of these barren elderly parents, the curse of silence was lifted as Zacharias wrote, “His name is John" (Luke 1:63-64, NASB1995)

He vanishes from the stage of history for 30 years, but then in Elijah-like fashion, he makes his entrance front and center in the Judean wilderness. It is a strange place to start a revival or a movement. And that’s not all. His wardrobe—camel’s hair. His diet—locusts and honey. Even in that ancient culture, he was a strange man, indeed.

Then there was his message—a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and the announcement of the One who was to come—baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire. He was a Voice crying out, as a “clear, articulate sound.” He was an anomaly, counter to the culture, with a message that disturbed the comfortable establishment and heralded the coming of One who would send the Comforter to a disturbed world.

You and I should consider this strange messenger as we seek to live out the calling of leadership in kingdom business. Our births were probably ordinary, our wardrobes and diets commonplace, but this message of Jesus as The Way—the ONLY Way—is, like the Baptist’s, counter to our culture, and politically incorrect. In a world that craves the comfortable, this message that disturbs that tranquility will often make our audience--uncomfortable. And we, as messengers, considered very strange indeed.

Catherine Booth, wife of the founder of The Salvation Army William Booth, said, "If we are to better the future, we must disturb the present."

As leaders, we are trying to move toward--create--a more preferable future. According to the Baptist and Catherine Booth, that seems to demand, at least to some degree, disturbing our present.

And history is pretty clear. Comfortable is nice. But it's disturbing that changes the world.

--Charles "Chuck" Nutt