A Leadership Lesson from Jesus

Every one of us is a leader in some capacity. Some lead in the workplace, some in ministry, and some as leaders in our family settings. A good leader has the ability to respond in a situation that is not expected, and is able to respond in that situation in a brilliant way. We see a great example of this in Mark 2:1-12. Jesus was teaching in a building that soon became overcrowded and there was no more room for anyone in the building–not even in the doorway. Four men brought a paralytic man to Jesus so that Jesus could heal him. Seeing that they couldn't get to Jesus, they decided to remove part of the roof above where Jesus was teaching in order to lower the man in front of Jesus. Instead of being discouraged and giving up on their plans, they thought outside the box and put this man before Jesus at all costs. This demonstrated great innovation and leadership on their part. Seeing their faith and their determination to have this man healed, Jesus shifted from His teaching to address the new situation that was presented to Him. 

Jesus responded in a way that accomplished many things. He was able to authenticate His authority as the Son of God, bring glory to His Father, reward these men for their faithfulness, and heal a man who suffered from paralysis. First, Jesus told the man, "Child your sins are forgiven." At the same time, He was able to discern what the scribes were thinking and reasoning within their hearts. This was before any of them spoke a word. He immediately turned to the scribes before they said anything and addressed them directly, saying, "Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'your sins are forgiven', or to say, 'Get up, and pick up your mat and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" He said to the paralytic, "I say to you, get up, pick up your mat, and go to your home."

Jesus evaluated the situation and, without hesitation, took action which brought about the greatest good. The paralytic was healed, the four men who brought him were probably encouraged beyond their expectations and many others were amazed and began glorifying God.

Jesus was in complete control of the entire situation. He chose not to wait for the scribes to challenge Him and addressed them without getting into a confrontation or argument with them. In doing so, He was gracious by not humiliating them in front of the crowd. Instead, He challenged them to consider what they thought about who He was. He told the paralytic to get up and walk, establishing proof of His authority. 

Whenever we are faced with situations that may challenge us, it's good to pause and consider what the greatest response would be in order to avoid harsh words, debate or arguments, and ultimately demonstrate Christ-like actions. We definitely don't have supernatural abilities like Christ, but we can continue to develop our leadership abilities and decision making processes. 

Pastor Bryan