It is an extraordinary thing what the God of the universe has done on our behalf. It is written all over the Bible and experienced by millions upon millions through the millennia. Jesus illustrated this reality in Matthew 18 when he told a parable (or story) of a middle manager (MM), his boss, and a subordinate of his own. What I want to point out, in the context of this blog, is the toxicity of this middle manager.
Clearly, according to a survey/study done in Sweden bad leadership is not under every rock. Only 42% of those surveyed don’t trust their company’s management team. Is the glass half full?
This is Good Friday. It is called "good" for a good reason. Because of the resurrection of Jesus for the rescue of mankind. But have you ever considered what brought on the darkness of this day that leads to that day? Toxic leadership!
Pharisaism cannot be mollified. Paul, nor Jesus, ever makes excuses for it. Pharisaic teaching and practice are destructive.
The toxic leader will be threatened by the slightest show of strength from subordinates. This was the story of the new king of Egypt in the time following the death of Joseph.
It is a sin to fail to act against abuse. Unfortunately, it is all too common for bystanders in the workplace to stand by the abuser. Standing up for victims is essential, despite fears and pressures.
Imprecatory Praying: It is a hard topic for Christians to wrap their heads around. When I normally speak of "imprecatory praying" I give qualifications. But Nehemiah, in a display of raw emotion, simply asks the Lord to destroy this enemy.
Those who make themselves complicit with toxic leadership will often do so due to fear of loss of prominence or privilege. A great example is found in Esther's story.
When Rachel Black was struggling to make sense of her abusive pastor, there was no Christianity Today Mars Hill podcasts and seemingly no books on how an employee in a church is to respond to such disregard. All she knew was the "hairs on her arms stood up" as she sought to understand her boss.
It was a very good two years working for a mission college. Now they grieve the loss of what they had in Africa.