And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth…
Luke 1:11-14
Leadership is difficult. Each decision made must consider the ramifications and consequences for a diverse population of stakeholders. Often times, decisions help the majority while neglecting the minority. In this, the group benefits are considered and weighed as more important than the needs of the individual. The options that stand before a leader feel as though they can help the individual or the group but not both. As a leader, each decision can feel like a win-lose game.
The goal of a good leader is to consider all and benefit all, but in our finite ability to see, know, and respond fully to any situation, someone, invariably, will be disappointed.
Not unfamiliar with disappointment, Zechariah and Elizabeth were childless.* Now old and beyond the age of childbearing, they lost hope that they would be parents.* Then God moves.
In one single move, God addresses the desires and needs of two parents as well as the desires and needs of a nation.* In the miraculous birth of John, joy was given to Zechariah and Elizabeth. This is plain to be seen.* God also brought joy to the nation of Israel, however. In John, God sent the precursor to the long-awaited Messiah.*
Think about all of the prayers that you have prayed that felt selfish. I have prayed a lot of “me”-centered prayers. To be fair to you and I, we’ve also prayed prayers that were less selfish like, “Lord, please save our nation.” Could it be that God hears and cares about all of the prayers that we pray? Could it be that God cares about the group as well as the individual? Could it be that God can take care of both?
It would have been understandable if God appeared to Zechariah, who was representing his people in the Temple that day, and told Zechariah about the coming Savior. This would bring joy to the nation (which included Zechariah and Elizabeth). On the other hand, God could have appeared to Zechariah and told him that he would have a son who would just make them happen and continue their legacy. This would bring joy to Zechariah and his entire family, but it would hardly draw the attention of an entire nation. No, God decided to do both.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to remember that God sees and cares about the big things and the little things in your life (even if you have lost hope of them ever happening). Perhaps today God wants you to trust Him even when you can’t see how what He is doing impacts you or your nation. Maybe today God wants you to know that He is the greatest of leaders, and He has you in mind. Perhaps today God wants you to remember that the little things in your life can, in His hands, impact a nation. Maybe today God wants you to know that His attention to the nation hasn’t stolen His attention from you.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke (Lk 1:8–23). InterVarsity Press.
Garland, D. E. (2012). Luke (p. 66). Zondervan.
Edwards, J. R. (2015). The Gospel according to Luke (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 35–37). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Liefeld, W. L., & Pao, D. W. (2007). Luke. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, pp. 55–56). Zondervan.
Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke (pp. 49–50). Zondervan Publishing House.
Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke: 1:1–9:50 (Vol. 1, pp. 80–84). Baker Academic.
Nolland, J. (1989). Luke 1:1–9:20 (Vol. 35A, pp. 28–30). Word, Incorporated.