“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
“14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Jn 1:1-5,14 NIV
In a recent conversation, after just having read these refreshing words from the Gospel of John, I was made aware of just how far we as Christ followers may have strayed from the role model of The Christ.
Christ was God become flesh, that’s the model, The Chief Shepherd became a lamb!
My point is our apparent promotion mentality. We want to become shepherds working the sheep, and though I understand the agricultural leadership allegory, I sense a loss of perspective. We are the sheep to whom the Chief Shepherd came! We did not become him, we are still sheep, smelly sheep!
Perhaps the structural hierarchy of the church has deluded us? It seems that no one wants to bear the image of a sinner saved by grace. We want to be above “them” while drawing our spiritual esteem from serving among “them.” In fact, even those who would emerge as true spiritual leaders are too often quickly promoted to the esteemed rank of Bishop, Archbishop, even Overseer. Pecking order was not a part of Jesus’ model, though rightfully all titles were His!
Jesus resisted flattery, even the well deserved title of Rabbi. In fact his reply at one point was “there is none good but God!”
If He became flesh, a lamb among sheep, a model of God’s truth and grace, should we not also be comfortable in our own sheep skin as we walk and love within the marketplace of our personal calling?