Leadership in the church is a perilous, even impossible, business. Some years ago, I was appalled when I heard the president of our church body insulted to his face by another church leader who called him stupid. Not a shred of evidence was offered by the accuser, but it was presented as self-evident. This man who was being insulted never retaliated; quietly sitting through this deliberate and well-considered attack. I wished for the president to bite back, because his attacker certainly deserved it. Much to my youthful frustration, he would not. Instead, he showed deep humility and great patience with those who exhibited such animosity toward him. I only now begin to understand this man's great wisdom.

 

The political vicissitudes of church life means that the worm turns. We cannot let that fact destroy our basic commitment to the gospel and a principled way of life together. Our political differences do not permit us to be vicious or disrespectful toward those whom the Lord has placed over us as leaders. When your party is in, you may not use it as a way to pay back those who had previously been in power. It is not good for the church. It betrays the Lord's own way of servanthood. "Jesus called them to him and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many'" ( Mt 20:25-28). The Lord's way is a way of pay back, yes. But it is a pay back of good in return for evil, mercy in return for hatred, and love in return for viciousness. This is the only way to conduct life together in the church.

 

When Christianity became a legal and preferred religion in the Roman Empire, there was a desire to use imperial power to proscribe theological enemies. Thank God the church no longer has access to the halls of power, proscribing our ability to harness earthly power. The desire to use it is powerful. Gregory Nazianzus was elevated to the episcopal see of Constantinople, replacing an Arian bishop. He had the ear of Theodosius I, who was not reticent to use his power to support the church. But Gregory categorically refused to fight fire with fire, despite the fact that the Arian Emperor Valens (364-378) had ordered to be burned to death orthodox priests in a ship on the sea. The crowd thought that Gregory ought to see to justice against those who had persecuted the Nicene faith. Gregory made enemies among those who said they adhered to the orthodox confession and they campaigned against him. No sooner had the Arians been turned out, than the orthodox began to devour their own. Nothing has changed since then. Faithful, patient Gregory is known and remembered; his "orthodox" opponents are now unknown and unremembered.