When Kings Collide

A friend of mine and I were having lunch recently. We were talking about leaders in the community that we know and that we have worked for. I mentioned the story of a leader who hired someone to be his right hand and successor. The person he hired was very capable and also a great leader. In less than a year, he fired the other person because he felt threatened in his role. My friend responded how much he hates it when leaders are insecure. So many organizations fail because of insecure leaders who are afraid of other competent leaders. Meanwhile others thrive because they set egos aside and allow upcoming leaders to thrive in their strengths.

In Matthew 2, we read the story of the wisemen seeking the king who was born. They went to Jerusalem to talk with King Herod about it. Verse 3 says King Herod was deeply disturbed when they asked about the newborn king. He had them search for where the Messiah would be born and sent the magi to Bethlehem. When the magi found Jesus, they bowed and offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then King Herod sent soldiers to kill every boy in and around Bethlehem who were under two. The wisemen responded with worship and reverence to another king, while King Herod responded out of fear with hostility and destruction.

In Matthew 6:24 Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other” (NLT). While He was referring to money in this instance, He was also speaking of a truth about our hearts. It exposes what was going on inside the wisemen and King Herod. It will also expose what’s in our heart. How do you respond to Jesus? Are you willing to submit to His way of living or are you still fighting Him? Have you submitted to Him the way the wisemen did? There is a spiritual war going on inside each of us that this story exposes. We will either live our lives submitted to the Spirit or we will be led by our flesh. The choice is yours to make. Will you respond as the wisemen or like King Herod?

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