The Pastor’s Perspective
By the Rev. Daniel W. Bellavia
November 2007
There is a story told about a low level officer in the
American army, who, during the Revolutionary War, was supervising a company of
men who had a large section of a fallen tree to move. The officer’s role in the
work seemed to consist solely of berating his men with shouted instructions and
attacks on their physical strength. He however, remained on his (high) horse,
free from the rigors of physical labor, while his men struggled in vain to move
the tree. While the officer was engaged in his “work,” a work in which moving
his mouth was done with far more success than moving the tree, another officer
on horseback rode along to ask him a question.
“Why are you not helping?” the indignant officer asked.
“I am helping, but this is how I accomplish my tasks, for I am
a corporal!”
The gentleman, hearing this weak claim of superiority, sprang
from his horse and took hold of the tree. Soon the men, with the assistance of
this new acquired friend, had moved the tree from their path. When this was
finished the officer turned to the corporal and said, “Mr. Corporal, my name is
General George Washington. As soon as you have completed this work, report to
your commander’s quarters!”
The corporal was dismissed. General Washington had no need of
officers who felt themselves too important to assist in accomplishing the tasks
before them. He understood that a true leader can never fall into the trap of
thinking that he is above the people he led.
Jesus taught us, not with lessons from on high, but with a
real and earthly example. Jesus never asked us to do anything that He didn’t do
for us first. He asks us to forgive those who offend us, but only after He
forgives our sins and iniquities. He asks us to love our neighbor, but only
after He shows us His great love for us. He asks us to devote ourselves to the
work of the kingdom, but only after He gives His life to allow us a place in it.
Jesus is the perfect example of leadership. He first shows us what we can become
by example, and then steps aside and asks us to follow.
Today the Church is called to do the work of Jesus Christ, to
be the Body of Christ, on earth. We cannot afford to be on our high horse and
think that we are above the work that our God and King is willing and calling us
to do.
We are now entering the season of God’s call. This is the time
when the world is seeking the leadership of the Church and the time in which the
Church must provide the example of love and care to the world. As we prepare for
the holiday season consider what God would have you do to show the world God’s
great love. Who can you reach out to? What can you do to share the love of Jesus
Christ during the holiday season? How can you personally make a difference in
the lives of others?
Be sure to ask this question of yourself and not relax in the
comfort that someone else should or will do it. The call of Jesus Christ is one
that is personally directed at each of us. We must individually and collectively
be willing to answer the call of Christ in our lives. So how can we do this?
First, we must understand the season that we are entering. The
beauty of the season is that it prepares us for the work of the Lord. We begin
with Thanksgiving, for only when we give thanks to God for what God has given to
us, can we truly understand why we should give and reach out to others.
We must remember the words of the scripture which tells us
that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The entire purpose of
Jesus’ birth (Christmas) is to give us the example of a Godly life, and to grant
us salvation through the sacrifice of the only good and Godly man to ever walk
the earth.
You may ask yourself, why are you already speaking of the
holiday season? I do this so that I can get into your head before it is filled
with everything else that clutters us during this holy time. I want you to
prepare for service. I want you to pray for direction. I want you to remember
what you have been given and give thanks to God this year.
I like to write down the things for which I am thankful. I am
thankful for my family, my wife and four boys. I am thankful for my heritage,
the family that I was born into. I am thankful for my call into ministry. And
this year I am thankful for my new Church. I am thankful that God has called us
together. Thanksgiving remembers what had already been done. Now we must
consider what God wants us to do with all of this blessing. How can we use who
we are and what we do in service to the Kingdom of God?
Count your blessings, make a list, and name them before God
and the people of God. But don’t just leave them in the past; prepare to use
these blessings to bless others. Remember we reflect our leader when we live as
God has called us. Then we are worthy of being called followers of Jesus Christ.
Then they will know that we are Christians because of our great love.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Pastor Dan
