I have been devouring The Benedict Option by Rob Dreher (which, if you haven’t heard of yet you need to google it now and order a copy, I’m just saying) and whilst I am really loving the content there is something that’s bugging me.
I mean, this guy has taken the time to research and write a book that explains the tragic moral decline of our culture and propose a new way to re-establish a Christian order to life and society but he continues to say that we are waiting for a leader/s in order to bring this idea into fruition (this is early on in the book and the rest of it does encourage the reader to take action).
So I’m going to be blunt here: we can’t keep waiting for a leader.
In fact, I’d argue that our waiting is partially responsible for getting into this mess in the first place.
We’re all waiting for someone else to step up and lead the charge so that we can follow in behind them. Maybe some of this hesitation is based on humility, but a lot of the time I think it’s based more on selfish reasons and yes, I’m just as guilty as the next person.
You know what, organising and planning outreach and ministry is exhausting and often unrewarding. People want the opportunity, and the flexibility, to attend events like mothers groups, recollections and retreats and so on, but so often they’re not willing to put in the commitment and make the sacrifices to support it.
So many people I’ve spoken with in my adult life have explained their reasons for letting a group or ministry slide because they felt unsupported by the participants and that no one wanted to help them or pick up the slack. They burnout, their leading light extinguished under exhaustion.
This is a sad reality.
And so we wait for the next wave to come along. And here at present it’s The Benedict Option.
But, once again we’re waiting. We’re waiting for someone who reads this book to stand up and say, “I’ve got the answers, follow me.” Then we’ll all fall into line and steer our world back into a Christian mindset and outlook.
Frankly, this just ain’t going to happen.
Why?
Because we already have a leader and His name is Jesus Christ. He’s already asked us to follow him and instead of trusting in Him we keep looking back, like that young man who asked to follow Jesus but wanted to run home first.
It’s never going to be convenient or easy to follow Jesus. And it’s hard to lead others to Him – but that’s what we are all called to do regardless of the vocation that we have been given.
Yes, the hours are long and the pay is more like a promise than anything else, the dangling carrot of eternal happiness in front of our nose that we keep trying to nibble at in this lifetime.
Don’t wait for a leader to spring up.
Be a leader.
Start at home, be a leader to your family and to your friends. Let your leadership, even just the old leading by example, ripple outwards from you and embrace everyone you met.
Don’t be afraid to start that mothers group that is so needed because you’re afraid of the workload or the commitment.
Pray, discern and strive boldly forward following Christ.
Stop waiting. Start leading.
Now.
Quickly, before it’s too late and the culture that we pass on to our children doesn’t even remember who God, and His Son, are.
Originally posted 2017-07-19 15:00:06.