An Emperor on His Feet

An Emperor on His Feet
Luk 9:10-11 NIV - [10] When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, [11] but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.
Emperor Trajan is considered one of ancient Rome’s greatest Emperors. A man skilled at both military expeditions and civil works projects, Trajan both expanded the limits of the empire to their greatest extent and extended the glory of the city of Rome with new architectural marvels such as Trajan’s Column, Trajan’s Forum, and Trajan’s Market. Adored by the people and known for his openness and fairness, his legacy has stood for nearly 19 centuries. As a previously great military commander, Trajan was always moving. It is said that, on his arrival to Rome as Emperor, he “entered the city on foot, he embraced each of the senators and even walked among the ordinary people. This was unlike any other Roman emperor and perhaps grants us a glimpse of Trajan's true greatness. Such modesty and openness easily helped the new emperor gain yet more support during the first years of his reign” (http://www.roman-empire.net/highpoint/trajan.html). The most impressive thing to me about Trajan was his willingness to constantly stay on his feet. In his military campaigns against the Dacians, Trajan went out with his troops to share in the horrors of war. He did not sit locked in a palace, divorced from the common soldier. He went out and led them to victory.

Trajan serves as an example as to how great leaders ought to lead. Some of the greatest leaders in history have been the ones willing to share in the hardships of war or common, everyday tasks. Thankfully, we too serve a King who stays on His feet. Jesus, in spite of all His power, knowledge, and wisdom, chose to live among Jews. He was cursed, beaten, and despised by men. Yet He led His disciples by example. One of the greatest displays of His involvement with men comes in the account just before the feeding of the 5000. We see that Jesus “[takes his disciples] with him, and they [withdraw] by themselves to a town called Bethsaida.” Jesus could have withdrawn much more often than He did. He had every right to abandon us and instead worship the Father without the hassles of a sinful and hopeless human race. But the Scripture says that, when “the crowds [learn] about [his withdrawing], [they follow] him.” What is Jesus’ response? Instead of sending the crowd away, He “[welcomes] them and [speaks] to them about the kingdom of God.” He “[heals] those who [need] healing.”

Jesus, like Trajan, moves in this world. He is not some distant, refraining God who is too high and mighty to deal with the affairs of little animal/spirit hybrids. He did not merely wind the clock of the universe and leave it after it began ticking. Jesus is alive and working within our world, and He is working in whatever other worlds may be out there that need redemption. Christ sets in us an example we should follow—move! Stay on your feet. Don’t grow complacent in your faith. Many of us reach spiritual “peeks” that we never exceed because we are unwilling to move forwards. We grow content with our position, and we see progress as a threat to our security. We avoid change; we dismiss it as disruptive and divisive. We slowly but surely divorce ourselves from the problems of the world until those images on television of starving children are glanced over with passive indifference. We forget to mention the poor and hungry and forsaken in our prayers, and instead we pray for blessings only for ourselves. This sort of attitude has crept into the American society. We need a dramatic shift. We need to look at Jesus’ example of how to lead. We lead on our feet. We lead by getting out of our boat and greeting the crowds. We lead by healing the sick, feeding the multitudes, and preaching the kingdom of God. Be a leader who stays on your feet today. The Holy Spirit is proof that Jesus is still moving on this earth. The pulling of our hearts are echoes of Christ’s footprints beating against the ground, healing and praying and touching the lost. Will we obey that voice today? Will we, too, move for Him? Amen.

With love in Christ,



Austin Aldrich