Post 83 of Study: Hebrews 13:7, 17-18

 ⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.. . . . ¹⁷ Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. ¹⁸ Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. ¹⁹ I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon. 

I have combined these two parts since they are both about leaders. I can’t think of a time in history where people, at least Americans, were more cynical about their leaders (or fawning!). I am among them. Our political class does not lead; they want to get on CNN or Fox and make money and everything but lead us to better outcomes in our country. We are also, unfortunately, cynical about our leaders in the church. A lot of our favored speakers and influencers and pastors and parachurch leaders have turned out to lack integrity. We could list several lately. A Christian leader’s first responsibility is to keep his or her spiritual integrity, I believe. I count myself among the Christians cynical about leadership, too. I’ve seen too much.

Perhaps, since we are told to imitate their faith and to consider the outcomes of their way of life, there is a “read between the lines” commandment here, alluded to in 17-19. “Don’t pick your leaders on the basis of style and rhetoric and money and coolness and physical attribute. Pick those to follow in whom you can have confidence. Consider how they live and the outcome of that way of life.” In other words, be discerning about your leaders, those to whom you submit. And, submit to their authority as is appropriate, what is their rightful authority. They are supposed to keep watch over your spiritual development and they will give account. They need your prayer. They need a clear conscience. 

Do we really pray for our leaders this way? If we choose to follow someone and submit to their authority, we must pray. Otherwise, the chain is broken.