In the drama which forms part of the Good Friday service I have been (type) cast as the chief priest. In my cameo appearance I argue as follows.

I am a leader of a people whose land is occupied by foreign powers, by people whose values and stories are not ours. We constantly have to figure out how to live with the Roman Empire breathing down our necks. I try to be a good leader but you know how it is with governments and regional managers who think they’re gods!

Leadership is about making choices and often the choices lie in the gray area. Lesser of evils – all the time.

So we opted to get rid of a potential disruption, one less agitator in a volatile time. Didn’t quite work out in the long term but, in the short term, some decision had to be made.

It is the job of leaders to choose and, yes, sometimes, expediency and efficiency rule. Build walls to protect borders; profile people to keep the majority safe; prisons over treatment. You work with the budget and the circumstances you’re given.