The Ideal Leader - Zechariah 9:1-17

THE IDEAL LEADER

Zechariah 9 : 1- 17..

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem: Lo, Your king comes to You: Triumphant and victorious is he humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9

 Introduction:

  Number of foreign military force has swept down upon Israel from the north ranging from the massive campaigns of the dreaded armies of Assyria and Babylon, to the incursions from the city state of Damascus. (ZEC.9:1-8) However, reveres the process this the time conquest of the philistine cites as well as of tyre and Sidon and of Damascus enable the bores of Israel to reach out ward to their largest extent since king David’s time. This wide boundary to territory for the Promised Land, “From Dan to Beersheba” this Latter corresponds more closely to the present state of Israel. Yet, the purpose in this section of Zechariah is not primarily military, not even geographical, but rather symbolical.

    The prophet focussed the coming Messiah in his prophesies in different manner. He told that, “Messiah is ‘the angel of the Lord’ (3:1), ‘the Branch’ (3:8), ‘a single stone with seven facets’ (3:9), and ‘a King’ (9:9, 10).

          Generally, a ‘king’ means a ‘ruler’ or a ‘leader’ of a monarchy. The prophet Zechariah portrays that the coming Messiah is a leader who is very ideal for the leadership. So he called the Jewish people to rejoice. A leader should bring joy, peace, freedom and hope to the people. A leader should care for the welfare of the people and fulfil the needs and the expectations of the people who are low and high, literate and illiterate and all categorised people.

           Today the leaders are many. But, are they fit or unfit to their leadership? This is questionable. Majority of the leaders in the Church, Nation and other institutions are unfit for their leadership. So the people who are under their leadership are suffering more.

       Dear Friends! We are the future leaders. Therefore, we should make ourselves to be fit for the leadership. Zechariah chapter 9, verse 9 clearly tells about the characteristics of the Ideal leader.

The Ideal leader should be ‘RIGHTEOUS’

                The prophet Zechariah says that the coming Messiah is righteous. Jesus is righteous in character and in practice. He preached the Justice and Righteousness in all the levels. In Matthew chapter 5, verse 6, Jesus stressed about the righteousness. He said that “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness...” He also condemned the leaders of the religion and the society who practised injustice and immorality. He also suffered for the establishment of justice’.

            In the world, corruption, injustice and immorality are prevalent everywhere. Even the religious leaders are becoming the fountains of injustice and the cradles of unrighteousness. This is the greatest tragedy in the Christian world. Not only has the Christian circle, the whole world expected the suitable and the fittest leader to establish ‘Justice’.

           After independence, early 1960, In India one of the most prominent leader was Kamajar. He was the general secretary of congress party for whole India. When prime minster post came to him, he refuses to take and made Indira Gandhi, as the prime minster of India. Latter he became the chief minister of Tamilnadu. Once he visited his Native village Virdhupatti. There was a pig problem for drinking water connection. So ordered to put street pipe water connection. In house, his old mother alone was there. So the punchayet officer gave a separate pipe connection to chief minister kamararajer house. When kamarajer saw that, he called punchayat officer and shouted to remove the pipe connection immediately. The officer removed the pipe connection. Though he was a chief minister of Tamilnadu, He has stayed, in a rental house. This is Just one example from the political Leader’s life. What about our Christian Leader?

 In Tsunami relief so many Christian leader’s looted money, and now facing court cases, Matha Amirthanda mayi got first prize for spending money in right manner.

Are we ready to fulfil the expectations of the world? Are we the ideal leaders? Do we have the noble character ‘Justice’? Let us examine ourselves.

The Ideal leader should be ‘SAVIOUR’

Zechariah chapter 9, verse 9 says, ‘...he is...having salvation...’ The coming Messiah is the Saviour. Luke 19:10 says that ‘He came to save the lost’. Jesus Christ came to save the sinners, the oppressed and the downtrodden people. He raised His voice against the oppressors and fought for the deliverance of the suffering people. Nazareth manifesto clearly gives the identity to Jesus as the Saviour. He dreamed the liberation of the people from the superstition, ignorance and hypocrisy. He motivated His disciples to save and liberate the people from all evils. The fittest leader should save the people as well as motivate others to become the part of the salvific act.

Today, the leaders are unwilling to save and liberate the people from their bondages. But the leaders want to be free. The world is groaning and mourning for peaceful life. Because, the society faces child labour system, poverty, slavery, female foeticide and numerous Socio-religious, Economic and Political evils.

Who will be the saviour next to Jesus for them? You and I only. The Apostle Paul, even in the prison, he wrote a letter to Philemon for saving a slave Onesimus and gave an advice to accept him as a beloved brother.

Friends! Are we ready to save the people from the Socio-religious, Economic and Political evils? Let us prepare ourselves to be the saviours like Jesus.

The Ideal leader should be ‘HUMBLE’

The prophet Zechariah (9:9) says that ‘....he is humble .... Jesus Christ is the King of Kings. But He lived as an ordinary person. He humbled Himself as a slave from His birth to the Cross of Calvary. Even He was a Guru or a master of His disciples; He washed their feet without seeing His dignity and position. This is the marvellous character for a good leader.

      Today the leaders are expecting that the people should come and wash their feet. They don’t want to be humble before others. The leaders should have the humility.

Mother Teresa once said that, “I am a little pencil in God’s hand. He does the writing. He does the thinking. He does the movement. I have only to be the pencil...” Because of her humbleness, she became the great and the famous leader of the ‘Missionaries of Charity’. The history remembers her and her valuable services.

Friends! Do we express the lowliness the humility in our word, thinking, action and life? Simple and humble is a noble character of a leader.

Conclusion:

The world is longing for the fittest leader to guide and save. Therefore, as the future leaders, we should be Righteous, saviour and humble.

J.Kennedy says, “Change is the law of life. Those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future”. The future is in our hand. We have to make the future to be fertile and meaningful for others with the guidance of the fittest leader Jesus Christ. Therefore we prepare ourselves to be the Ideal leaders like Jesus Christ. Amen.