Today’s Scripture Reading (December
5, 2013): Isaiah 32
John
Ashcroft’s singing of the song that he wrote - “Let the Eagle Soar” - at the
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in February 2002 made a list of top five Worst
Political Advice compiled for The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos back in
2008. Ashcroft and the song ever since 2002 have been fodder for late night
comedians, although “Let the Eagle Soar” is not the only song that Ashcroft has
written. And more than the nature of the song itself, which is really about
living a triumphant life, it seems to be the self-promoting nature of Ashcroft
with the song that seems to be the problem. The impromptu concert at the
Seminary left Stroumboulopoulos and others wondering where the political
advisors were when this decision to sing was being made. Of course, late night
comedians love to talk about anything John Ashcroft does because then they can
also talk about Ashcroft’s distinction of being the only man to lose a Senate
race to a dead man. The man, Governor Mel Carnahan, had died in a plane crash
during the campaign, but because of election regulations in Missouri, both
names remained on the Ballot on election night – and two weeks after Carnahan
had died, he won a Missouri Senate seat 51% - 49%.
All of which
raises a question. Why would anyone, let alone 51% of the electorate, vote for
a dead man. In many ways it seems like a waste of vote – and for that many
people to decide to vote, but vote in a way that actually would seem to waste
the vote, is a little amazing. And the two events – the singing of the song at
a Theological Seminary and the loss of a Senate Race to a dead man – may share
a single cause. That is, both of these incidents may reveal a common problem. Both
events appear to be acts of someone who refuses to listen to either his
advisors or to the people who elect him into office. The symbolic message of
the voters is a dead man will hear us and represent us better than you will.
And deafness on the part of Ashcroft is the only way to describe the events
that led to the 2002 song.
With Ashcroft,
this is quite possible mere conjecture. But for Isaiah, this was exactly the reality
of the politicians of his day. They were like dead men – their eyes no longer
saw, and their ears no longer heard. The advisors that they gathered around
them were ignored and the king and princes simply did whatever it was that they
wanted to do.
For some,
Isaiah is not speaking about just any king, but rather he is pointing directly
at the day of the Messiah. The argument lies in the idea that Isaiah is talking
about someone in the future – and there does not seem to be any king (although
some have argued for Hezekiah) that fits the description. The opening of the
eyes and ears of those in power speak of a day of justice, but also of compassion
and mercy, which in many ways sums up the ministry of Jesus. And add to this
that Jesus was the one who literally opened the eyes of the blind and opened
the ears of the deaf and we have a fairly strong argument for this passage
pertaining to the Messiah.
But whether
or not this passage is Messianic, Isaiah is definitely is instructing his
readers that a real leader is not someone who simply does as he want, but
rather someone who has ears to hear and eyes to see – a leader is someone who
values all of the people that surround them and all of the opinions, seeing the
strength and truth in each person’s suggestion and being able to then tease out
the direction that needs to be followed. It is never easy, and wimps need not
apply. But it is necessary for anyone who wants to be a Christian leader.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah
33
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