Wednesday, October 5, 2011

10 Commandments for Administration from Deuteronomy 17: 15 - 20


  1. Not to accumulate or be status-driven (16a). The horse & the chariot in the ancient world was state-of-the-art. In todays world this has been substituted by a mania for gadgets, vehicles, mobiles, and any flashy import product. The paradox is that while they have all these gadgets they may not even know, fully, how to use them
  2. Not to create a consumer-driven society (16b). "...make his people return to Egypt" means not to be instrumental in marketing capitalism & consumerism to the detriment of local economy.
  3. Not to make people practical-atheists (16c). "you are not to go back that way again" is a reference indirectly to that obnoxious golden calf, and their demand for meat instead of manna. Practical atheism is the lip-service of religion, coupled wth spiritual jargon and devoid of genuine spirituality. It is what Paul defines as "having a form of godliness but denying its power." And Egypt was a potent symbol of religion without God.
  4. Not to engage in extra-marital relationships (17a). Here is clearly a call for high moral standards. King Solomon violates this command (I Kings 11: 1-6)
  5. Not to let proximal relationships influence administration (17b). I know of many people who fear the wife, more than the Principal or Director. This is a common disease in most Christian institutions or organizations. Sometimes, and eventually, these structures become into dynasty ministries!
  6. Not to hoard large amounts of liquid cash (17c). I know of one Christian leader, who never moves around, anywhere, without having two lakhs cash.
  7. Keep a copy of this law (18). This involves the role of a priest in mentoring leadership. Leaders are lonely people. And it can cause great healing to have a good priest to confess and be mentored. All of us need it. Thats why we always need someone else to scratch our back.
  8. Read it all his life -- as a benchmark for obedience (19a). This is the principle of the plumbline. Everyday we must weigh and measure our actions against this backdrop.
  9. Not airing superiority, but engaging in servant-leadership  (20a). No comments. Self-explanatory. But then how much grief is caused because of ego!
  10. Precision-obedience to scripture (20b). Not to turn left or right from the Law. Absolute dependence on scripture. It just means that, even if everything is explicit, we must seek HIS confirmation for decisions. Its obedience with precision. 

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