PASA Lessons: Lead with Love

Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 1 Kings 3: 11-13

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 3-5; Luke 20: 1-26

Ok…

So, Solomon is doper than I. I can deal with that.

I’ve been talking all this time about pursuing dreams and what not. But, when Solomon is asked by God what he wishes to have he says wisdom.

I’m a know–it-all and even I wouldn’t have said that. It makes me think of how much love it takes to be a great leader.

Yes you read that right… love.

Have you ever been a leader of an organization? I have. And let me tell you. It’s a pretty thankless job.

During my sophomore year at Pomona College I was president of our Pan-African Student Association (PASA). I’m not even sure how that happened. I think it might have been one of those moments when they asked for volunteers and everyone took a step back while I was picking my nose or something.

All I know is that I was nominated, the nomination was seconded, and within about ten minutes I had the title.

I was cool with it though because I was really excited about the organization and really wanted to help out. During my freshman year my friends Kieran, Aaron, Yohance, Kofi, and Christina were really involved with the group. We were happy to do our part to help.

But man… I learned a whole lot that year.

One of the things I learned was that being a good leader means that it ain’t about you.

There were so many things that I wanted to be done a certain way but often times it turned out not to be the best way. It was frustrating to not get my way at times, and even more frustrating to realize that my way wasn’t the best way.

I had a ways to go on the path toward humility back then. Still do.

This is why I’m so impressed by Solomon. This dude had the opportunity to ask God for ANYTHING. And what does he ask for? He asks for the thing that he thinks will best help him serve the people he is leading.

He asks for wisdom.

It is this attitude of humility and sacrificial love that separates politicians from leaders, hustlers from servants.

Are you in it for you or for others? That is the question.

Solomon was in it for his people that he loved and as a result God gave him way more than he could have ever dreamed.

I hope that the next time I am in the position to lead I will have grown to be more like Solomon.

We live and learn right?

Jubilee

" 'Count off seven sabbaths of years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to a period of forty-nine years. Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan. The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines. For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.

" 'In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property. – Leviticus 25: 8-13

This is one of my favorite concepts in the Bible.

When I was in college I was a part of a student organization called the Pan-African Student Association. During the second semester of my sophomore year we decided that we wanted to do something that hadn’t been done before.

We were going to organize a festival.

After discussing some of the things that we would like at the festival: food, art, performances, etc… the question of the name came up.

What would we call it?

One of my good friends at the time suggested that we call it Jubilee.

Huh?

We nearly laughed him out of the room. All I could think about was the X-Men character by the same name.

But he was serious. So we put it to a vote and of course Jubilee eventually lost.

But now I get it. Jubilee is a proclamation of freedom.

From the Biblical perspective it is the time where everything is restored.

The context here is that when the Jewish people reached the Promised Land, the land was given out in lots to each tribe and to each family in each tribe. This was mandated by God.

Of course some people become poor and others become rich. Some may have to sell their land or their labor in order to make ends meet. And the rich are there of course to scoop it up.

Not much has changed in several thousand years.

But God instituted this brilliant fix. Every fifty years the servants were set free and the land was restored. Each generation had a new, fresh chance at life.

I wonder what the world would be like if we lived with this principle today… How would it affect the way we view “property”… would there be such a thing as ownership of land? Would there be less poverty? More or less innovation?

There are so many interesting what ifs here.

But one thing is clear to me. God built into the original law a time where the major inequalities were set in balance. Each generation had a fighting chance at prosperity.

That’s all we can ask for.

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 25: Mark 1: 23-45