SHOULD we expect a higher standard of behaviour from those we elect or appoint to positions of responsibility than we expect from those in lesser roles.

To judge by the recent responses, to an MP watching porn in the Parliamentary chamber, to casual cabinet ministers and civil servants breaking their own lockdown regulations most of do expect high standards from those we give responsibility and trust .

And we have similar expectations of teachers, or doctors of scout leaders, bank managers, and solicitors, and vicars and pastors and other religious leaders and of care home staff - because we trust them with the things that are important to us. And broken trust when it involves the care of our children and loved ones is devastating, as is when those we trust with our homes or our money are found to be misbehaving .

“Partygate” causes anger and distress not because the parties - but because these were the people administering lockdown - and they weren’t taking it seriously! It’s like finding the doctor who just advised you to cut down on your smoking having a crafty fag round the back of the surgery!

But don’t get me wrong. As a vicar myself and a trusted person, I know all to well we all have feet of clay and none of us are perfect. We don’t do ourselves or our leaders any favours if we put them on a pedestal and then are surprised when they fall off.

But different standards are expected. St Paul wrote to Timothy “an overseer [bishop, elder] must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable … not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome”

Leadership is not about satisfying a desire to be the alpha, or to be promoted or to have fame , but about putting your clients, you electors, your flock first.

As Jesus taught those who were to be the future leaders of his Church “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The word “Minister” derives from the word “to serve” and clergy and cabinet ministers alike do well to remember that.