Second Tuesday of Advent – Isaiah 9:6-7
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Bringing up politics in a conversation is usually one of the quickest ways to raise someone’s blood pressure. No matter who is in the seat of power, somebody is unhappy. A quick survey of history tells us that truly good leaders are quite few and incredibly far between.
The early church was seen as dangerously subversive. Why? Because those who followed Jesus pledged allegiance not to Caesar, the “king” of Rome, but to a different King who ruled with a completely different set of values.
Today, we are often suspicious of governmental authority. We are aware of the abuse of power and the lack of leaders who have the best interest of all people in mind. Perhaps we are not afraid of authority, but of bad authority.
Today’s reading from Isaiah gives us a picture of authority that is not based upon abusing power and putting down opposition; but upon justice, goodness, and peace. The King we await at Christmas will rule with power and authority, and use that might to lift us up rather than put us down. The season of Advent reminds us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, who rules for the sake of justice and the wellbeing of all people.
- In what ways have you been let down by authority?
- What are the attributes of a good leader?
- What comes to mind when you think of Jesus as a King?