Jesus Wants Leaders Who Lead

ONE LOOK AT the heart of next Sunday's Gospel (Mk 9:38-43, 45, 57-48) will provoke nervous laughter and the great disclaimer, "Well, he was only exaggerating."

Surely Jesus doesn't mean it literally that we should cut off our hands and feet, and pluck out our eyes if they cause us to sin. Not even biblical fundamentalists run around promoting self-mutilation.

It makes us feel better to think that Jesus was only exaggerating. But if, with that, we dismiss this passage like some pesky mosquito, we've ignored a point that Jesus obviously wanted to drive home by choosing the most outlandish language he could think of.

What's the big deal? Jesus is trying to turn his disciples into leaders. This really is a big deal for him. Remember, he has just begun his long journey from Casearea Philippi in the north, where Peter proclaimed him the Messiah, to Jerusalem where he will be crucified. His days are numbered. He's got a Church to create. Its success will depend upon its leadership. He remembers that the first topic his disciples took up on the road to Jerusalem was who's the greatest. It's hard to imagine a more inappropriate beginning to Christian leadership. This really sticks in Jesus' craw.

Now John complains to him that some other people are expelling demons in Jesus' name -- people who are not his disciples, and certainly not among the Twelve. Whoever these strange exorcists are, the disciples think they're out of line. So they rat on them to Jesus. Perhaps the disciples meant no harm by this report. Perhaps they were trying to exercise the fledgling leadership Jesus was beginning to entrust to them.

But to Jesus' ears, they've got it all wrong. They seem more concerned about their self-importance than about the name of Jesus. The disciples are wearing the school colors, but they're complaining that non-students are wearing them too. Jesus, the good marketer, says leave them alone. The more people wearing your logo the better.

He goes on. Whoever does not act against us is for us. So what if they're not Christian? If they're not anti-Christian, they're part of the team. If someone just gives you an insignificant drink of water, relax. It's OK. They're with us.

Then come these thundering admonitions: If your hand, foot, or eye cause sin, get rid of them. Why the strong language? Jesus wants leaders who will lead, whose sins will not bring themselves down nor lead others into sinful ways. He is so definite on this point that he chooses exaggerated language -- not to encourage self-mutilation, but rather to show that, as you would never cut off your own hand, so you should never lead anyone into sin. Christian leaders simply must set a good example. He won't have it any other way. You might call this Jesus' attempt at making an infallible statement.

Good example should begin with how the disciples treat each other. Disciples should have "salt" in themselves -- they should have flavor, preservative qualities, fire-starting properties -- and be at peace. They must demonstrate by their communion with one another that they are part of the Body of Christ.

How tragic it is when Christians spar with one another. We hurt the very cause we represent. How tragic that Christian Churches do not yet share communion with one another. How awful when one parish feels that it has to compete with another. How hurtful when one parish committee fights with another. How painful when a Christian family, the domestic Church, is severed by internal strife. This, Jesus cannot tolerate. The physically blind and disabled lead better lives.