Year 6, Day 75: Jeremiah 22

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Identity

• Identity: Our true identity comes from the Father.  Only when our identity comes from God can we be obedient in ways that satisfy our person to our core.

This chapter of Jeremiah has much to say about leadership.  Specifically, this chapter has to do with the king of Judah.  This chapter talks about the identity of leadership.

What is it that Jeremiah focuses upon?  Leaders are called upon to make sure that the oppressed find justice.  Leaders are called upon to make sure that those who don’t have a voice are heard.  Leaders are called upon to make sure that the right thing happens regardless of social pressure.  That’s what the identity of good leadership looks like.

But is that what we often see?  Occasionally we do see it.  But in truth we see far more leaders using their power and influence to make life better for themselves.  We see many leaders looking to use their leadership to increase their own influence, luxurious living, and power.

That’s God’s biggest issue with the leadership of Judah.  The leaders aren’t interested in the widows and orphans.  They aren’t interested in justice and righteousness.  They aren’t interested in doing the right thing with the power that God has entrusted to them.  Their identity is found in themselves, not within God.

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