It is easy to envisage that the current times in which we live may well feature in the history curriculum for students in January 2118. Today there is a plethora of global examples of different types of government. Churchill famously said: ‘Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried.’ Certainly, we see that the democracy that we prize so highly is far from perfect.
Some say that the character of our leaders doesn’t matter – that their private lives have no bearing on their ability to lead. Norman Schwarzkopf, former US Army General who led the 1991 liberation of Kuwait, was considered an exceptional leader by biographers. He said: ‘Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character but if you must be without one, be without the strategy’. These are extraordinary words from an Army General – that nothing is more important than good character.
At Christmas, the beautiful ‘Nine Lessons and Carols’ service tells the story of the imperfections of mankind and of God’s solution for good government, namely Jesus. One Bible reading is taken from the book of Isaiah, probably written around 800 BC: ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9.6)
What does God’s government look like? Christians believe that God’s government rests on the shoulders of Jesus, who came to show us exactly what God is like. God’s government, which will one day be present in full, will look like the perfect character of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve.
We invite you to join us in praying for the strengthening and raising up of godly, servant-hearted leadership in all nations at the start of this New Year.
Julia Dow, Parish Development