Of Necessity

In the description of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the Lord said this, “Of necessity there are presidents, or presiding officers growing out of, or appointed of or from among those who are ordained to the several offices in these two priesthoods” (D&C 107:21).  To me it seems almost as if the Lord is apologetic: ideally we wouldn’t want to have those who preside over others, but “of necessity” the Lord appoints leaders in order to provide organization and order to the Church. 

One of the challenges that we have in the Church today, I believe, is not associating positions of prominence in Church leadership with a sense that these people are somehow better or contributing more or have a more important role.  The problem of course is that we, whether intentionally or not, will inevitably compare with the businesses in the world in which it is common to view the CEO or president or other “high-ups” in the organizations as more successful and powerful than others in the company who have not achieved that level.  In the Church we must never associate the most visible positions with a feeling that those who hold them are somehow of more importance than others.  Elder Oaks put it this way: “Prominent position… does not put anyone on a fast-track to exaltation. The criteria for that ultimate goal is the same for every person—leader or follower, prominent or obscure: Have we received the ordinances of salvation and kept our covenants?” (see here). 
                Ultimately, of course, the Church’s purpose is all about the family.  We have those who preside over the Church “of necessity” so that the Lord can offer us the ordinances of salvation and eternally bless families.  We must not get too focused on callings and positions of leadership since those will eventually change.  The most important calling that we have will always be in the home as a father or mother and husband or wife.  All the other callings we will eventually be released from.  President Harold B. Lee put it this way, “Much of what we do organizationally [in the Church] … is scaffolding, as we seek to build the individual, and we must not mistake the scaffolding for the soul.”  The scaffolding of the Church does not last forever, but life in families will if we keep our covenants.  The attitude towards callings in the Church should be like the Psalmist: “Or a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalms 84:10).  Whether stake president or a “doorkeeper,” the important part is that we serve the Lord with all of our heart.