"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together; and a little child will lead them."

Isaiah 11:1-2,6

Political and business leaders cast visions of how things might be – a transformed and ideal future. They aim to lift the heart and eyes to a new era, away from the flawed present. The present for Judah is the great kingdom of David, now reduced to a stump. Human leaders’ plans get derailed by peoples’ weaknesses and unpredictability.

The Spirit of God takes this dried-up stump and creates something so fruitful that our hearts leap in anticipation. The same Spirit produces a wise decision-maker. Decisions that derive from the fear of the Lord mean that power does not oppress but blesses the needy and the poor (v. 4). How we treat people whose needs are easily ignored is always a marker of the Spirit’s ministry in us. It is a sign of the healing of relationships that he brings (vv. 6–9), with both internal and external hostility overcome (v. 13).

In politics, a focus on the future is often ultimately disappointing. Isaiah’s vision is built on the unbreakable promises of God. His vision is enhanced for us in the signs of their fulfillment in the Lord Jesus. He uses weak things to shame the strong. He smashes barriers between peoples, creating peace through his cross and uniting them in his love. He brings people home from every nation, protecting them to the end. We pray ‘your kingdom come’ and, as we feed the poor, work against discrimination, forgive, and strive for unity, we express the desire to see that future kingdom displayed in our present communities.

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord Jesus, please give your vision to me and my community of faith. As we serve one another, convict us and teach us how to minister in Jesus’ name to those in need around us.

(Edited from Encounter with God)