DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONALS: NOVEMBER 7 CLONNING INTO YOUR LEADER’S LIFE (1) SCRIPTURE: 1 CORINTHIANS 10: 1 – 6
Practical observations of the leaders and the led reveal sordid fact which is, most people under a leader tend to be dominated by the most characteristics or features of the leader.These might reflect in mannerism, dressing styles, gestures, intonations, style of smiles emotional manifestation and what have you. A leader actually influences his/her followers, especially those who adore him/her in no small measures. In passages of time, the world has seen people in a particular country wearing a type of cap of their President or Mayo, dress fashion style of a particular religious leader as well as ladies taking to the dressing of their female mentors. Religious faithfuls are seen too, wearing dressing codes of their leaders in forms of fashion styles, caps, suites etc. This tells much of influences leaders have on those they lead. This attitude is mere cloning self into the leader’s life.
Apostle Paul is talking of cloning into leader’s life while addressing those being led by their leaders into copying them as baptizing into the leader. He talked of how the Israelites were baptized into Moses and his leadership by saying: “They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the Red Sea” 1 Cor.10: 2 NIV). Being Baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea could figuratively means “passing under the cloud and through the Red Sea with Moses. It connotes agreeing to follow Moses in faith and in loyalty under the cloud and through the Red Sea as in accepting him a leader over them. This phrase can be used of anyone who proves loyal and obedient in following someone accepting him/her as a leader. By emphasis, when you agreed to be baptized into somebody and his/her leadership, it could convey agreeing that he/she is your accepted leader who can be followed through the ticks and tins, dangerous or painful situations no matter the cost in life.
In the secular life, we see this style of loyalty taken to extreme. Politically, when somebody is baptized into a political leader, he/she hardly sees the wrongs of the leader, the political sins of the leader as well as anything wrong with the administrative policies of the leader is ignored. As the Israelites followed Moses passing with the cloud above their heads and through the Red Sea without option to debunk Moses’ leadership orders so is one who is baptized into someone else’s leadership. By being baptized into Moses and his leadership, the Israelites, in their faithful days heard Moses’ commands, instructions, as well as harkened to his warnings against evil practices.
Then, the grace of God, His protective powers, His infinite love and supervisory eyes followed them till rebellious spirit took over their hearts. Apostle Paul would tell us later that Jesus Christ was following the Israelites in form of the rock which gave them water to drink in the wilderness. This means when doing the good things a leadership into whom one choices to be baptized into provides divine presence to the baptized. Presently, the beloved, whose leadership are you baptized into today?
PRAYER:
Father, direct my loyalty and obedience of servant hood towards the Spiritual Source whom I am baptized into so that my labours on earth will not be wasted.
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch
