Revelation 7:9-17

Easter 4 - Year C

Revelation 7:9-17

Servant leadership leads from the center of the assembled. It makes sense that this kind of leadership be kind. It welcomes opportunities to take one more step.

Throne leadership is more directive. Here it makes sense to have decisions regarding who is in and who is out. It welcomes challenges to overcome.

Both of these have their moment. When coming out of a great ordeal both leadership styles are important. At one and the same time, limits on energy from stresses of exile need to be heeded and stringent encouragement can be a source of needed vitality. Here we have the triumphant throne leadership in the fore and our task is to remember the servant leadership that accompanied folks through the thirsty places of life.

It is easy to get caught in the "final score" of the game and fail to appreciate all the ups and down and changes in momentum that led to a conclusion. The conclusion is not the real measure of value.

Do note that everyone was present. With pushes and pulls and plenty of time, we do gather together from our exile from one another. Pentecost and Revelation point to an overcoming of ancient Babel. Question for the day: what are we currently experiencing that points in the same direction? Relying on these stories of the past only goes so far - they need to be connected with what is currently going on in our desert journey as we point out the living water that will keep us going.