THERE'S A NEW SHERIFF
IN TOWN!
"Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and a commander to the people."
(Isaiah 55: 4)
DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LEADER AND A COMMANDER?
Wow - I love talking about this subject. I think most folks have a pretty good understanding of what it means to be a leader. Especially horse people. That's because horses know if you are or you aren't! Most of us know that being a leader means to motivate and lead by example. But not everyone knows what it means to be a commander. The use of the word commander is a military term. It's a step up in authority, even from that of leader. That's because a commander does more than lead - he commands!
Think of it like this - a leader says "Follow me". A commander says, "Do what I say". Both leaders and commanders have authority. But they have different roles. A leader's role is to guide and keep others focused on the objective. A commander's role is to marshall his troops, engage the enemy if need be, and assure victory.
The scripture above, Isaiah 55: 4, is considered to be a messianic passage in an old testament book that is largely prophetic in scope. The leader and commander spoken of here is Jesus Christ. Later, in the new testament, we're told about the ministry of Jesus, the Messiah. He was not only a leader - one who guides others, but He was a commander - one who commands, and was competent to do battle.
"I don't care how you did it before. That's history now. Meet the new Sheriff in town!"
A bit confused about the difference in leaders and commanders? Let me explain it the way I know best - using horses as an example. Unless you're starting a new colt, every new horse comes with baggage - that is, lifestyle habits and experience they learned from their former owner. A horse may know it all, think he knows it all, or knows nothing at all. It doesn't make any difference to me. Once a horse becomes mine, I wipe the slate clean, and we start from the very beginning.
And how do I do that? By becoming my horse's leader through groundwork. Later, as we advance from groundwork to work in the saddle, I will actually move from being my horse's leader to being his commander. But for now, at the beginning of our formative relationship, I am functioning only in the position of leader to my horse. And so I introduce myself. And it goes something like this,
"Hello horse. I'm the new sheriff in town!"
I'M THE LEADER ON THE GROUND, BUT I AM THE COMMANDER IN THE SADDLE
When I teach my horse a new lesson on the ground, or ask him to follow me - I'm acting as his leader. As his leader, I show him what I want, guide him in how to do it, and encourage him in his efforts by rewarding even the slightest try. Most leadership skills take place on the ground, working side by side. Once my horse understands all the basic skills I'm asking for, it's time to mount, and I move from being his leader to being his commander. This means that instead of his simply following my lead (on the ground), I can now give him a command or cue (from the saddle), and he should obey me.
To Obey Or Not To Obey -
That's The Real Question!
When it comes to groundwork, most horses become quite comfortable with allowing their "human" to be the leader. It's when the human climbs up in the saddle and takes "command" that causes some horses to come unglued. It's the same when it comes to people.
Most folks are comfortable with Jesus, as a leader who guides. After all, that at least means we have a choice as to whether we want to follow or not. But it's Jesus, as commander, that causes us to squirm. Why? Because a commander doesn't just lead by example. He has the authority to command. And commandments demand obedience.
"Horses and life,
it's all the same to me."
(Author of FARAWAY HORSES
and Horseman, Buck Brannaman)
Buck Brannaman is one of my favorite horsemen in the world. How could I not love someone with the sensitivity and emotion to say,
"Horses and life, it's all the same to me." I feel the same way, too. For as long as I can remember, God has used horses to unlock my heart and understanding about so many things, especially the dynamics and transitions that take place in partnerships.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about Buck and his incredible partnership with horses is his ability to move seamlessly from being the one who is distrusted to being the one who is trusted. From being the one who is a leader on the ground to being the one who is the commander in the saddle. Buck does it with such grace that, as a bystander, one can hardly tell that a transition has taken place at all. And yet, the horse knows.
Yes, when I start out with a new horse, I want him to know that there's a new sheriff in town. In other words, he's no longer his own. He now belongs to me. But ultimately, I want a deeper and more trusting partnership than that. I want to be my horse's leader and commander. And that's exactly the kind of partnership Jesus wants with you and me.
Jesus desires partnership with us that even goes beyond that of recognizing him as our Saviour, or the new sheriff in town. Jesus wants to be Lord over every area of our life. And how do we allow Jesus to be the Lord of our life? We start by first recognizing that he has been called to be our leader (follow me). Then we recognize that he is now our commander (do what I say), according to God's Word. And then what?
Then we do what he says!
