By Amitabh Singh

Upon a visit to the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth, people listed as Jesus quoted God’s word.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

Jesus’ life was designed by the Holy Spirit. In Mathew 1:19-20 NLT:

“Joseph, to whom she (Mary) was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”

In Luke 4:1, we find Jesus was directed by the Holy Spirit. “Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned form the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness.”

Jesus was dependent upon the power of the Holy Spirit. In John 3:34 (NLT) we read, “For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit.”

Looking to Jesus, Lord Shaftesbury, a nineteenth-century English architect, recognized the rights of women and children in a culture that historically treated them as possessions. Likewise, William Wilberforce, a British politician, fought tirelessly for the abolition of the slave trade; Desmond Tutu petitioned for the right to self-determination for his race in Africa; and Martin Luther King pressed for the civil rights of all people, regardless of their skin color.

Not only in the past, but also today, Jesus’ continues to motivate many of the world’s greatest executives, politicians, artists, and humanitarians. My friend, Geninne Bridge, has started The Third Way to facilitate in conversations around racism and reconciliation.

Through Jesus and the Holy Spirt, we continue to learn to lead with compassion and wisdom, for the glory of God and the good of others.