Jesus, CEO

My undergraduate degree is a BS in Business Administration with a concentration on management. I've got management books coming out of my ears. As my call began to come into view toward the end of my senior year of college, the books began to change from "Who Moved my Cheese?" to "Jesus, CEO." These books aren't bad. They speak of Jesus' leadership style, compassionate, hard working, goal oriented. Seems to make sense that the Son of God would be a halfway decent manager, though the success rate of his inner circle during his time with them is less than spectacular.

As I read the Gospel lesson for Sunday, I'm struck by just how much Jesus sounds like a CEO in this text. The Pharisees could be warning him about a hostile take over or a lunch meeting with a rival, as Jesus responds, "today and tomorrow aren't good. Tell that lousy SOB that my plate is full until I get to Jerusalem. We can talk then." Since I am tech obsessed, I picture Jesus flipping through the calendar on his blackberry (Jesus wouldn't use Apple products - see bad translations of Gen 3) and pondering to himself, "hmmmmm, when can I squeeze this in."

Jesus knew the time was near, his death was coming upon his entry into Jerusalem, and yet he continued on the way. He didn't pull a Jonah and run toward Tarshish. He didn't dig a hole and spend the rest of his days hiding from the authorities. Instead, he confidently pushed toward Jerusalem teaching and healing along the way. And all that we might have life, but not just us, his hope was that everyone might come under his wing, even Herod and the Chief Priests and the Scribes. But people being people, this was not going to happen. Those in authority weren't going to give it up without a fight, and Jesus wasn't going to fight them. And so, as we journey toward Holy Week we see the end result.

In the meantime, I'm struck by how calm, cool, and collected Jesus sounds. Sure he calls Herod a fox, but wouldn't you? I'm surprised he continues his journey long after most (if not all) of us would have abandoned ship. He had a plan, a singular focus, and he would see it happen; humanity was going to be restored.