Everything
was made by God and finds it’s purpose in Him (Jn 1:3, Col 1:16-17). So, if we’re to please God, we should gain
an understanding of how he defines and purposes everything (Ro 12:2). And more than ever lately I’ve noticed that
there’s been a great disparity between how man chooses to define and purpose
things compared to how God does. We’ll
look at the subject of leadership in this post.
I’ve
chosen our best example of how to live:
Jesus -God’s Word made flesh.
I’ll
list some examples of how he shepherded as he walked, and continues to, by is
living Word.
But
first, to lead means to guide on a way, especially by going in
advance, and to direct on a course or in a direction (m-w.com).
- Make no mistake about
it, there is no other way to lead but by example. The very image of a leader is someone
who precedes, someone who is out front.
No effective leader ever took a “Do as I say, not as I do” approach
to leadership. And God bless the
fool who would follow such a hypocrite.
A person who has: a) gone
before, and b) been successful, can be trusted to direct another (Jn 1:14;
Heb 4:15).
- Leadership demands a sincere
effort to achieve greatness, to meet the mark (Lk 22:42-44; Heb 12:4;
1Co 9:24-27; Php 3:12).
- Leaders must make necessary
sacrifices, and with those sacrifices come rewards. Surely, double honor follows double
work [Jn 10:18; 19:30; Mk 16:19; 2Co 5:21; Mt 10:39; 16:25; 1Co 15:55; Rev
1:18; 3:21; 1Ti 5:17]
- Leaders are held accountable
and must understand that the decisions they make have lasting
effects. Everyone has someone or
over them that they’re accountable to and someone under them that they’re
both accountable for, and yes, accountable to [Lk 2:49; Jn 12:49;
1Co 15:45: Ro 5:12,19].
- Leadership demands
the courage (Mt 8:23-26; 10:28; Lk 22:42).
- Leaders appropriately
delegate authority to subordinates along with the necessary
encouragement, instruction, and support in order to reach a defined goal
(Mt 4:19; 28:18-20).
You
may’ve noticed that with the scriptures given, these are instructions intended
for all of us, whether or not we have been called into a leadership position in
the body, as we’re called to be light of the world and salt of the earth, and
by default lead in our own way, for someone (Mt 5:13-16).
(Also,
I’m positive I didn’t get them all, so go ahead and pull out your own
scripture-based examples of Christ-like leadership, and add them in the
comments box below.)
