Leadership
Do you ever wonder how certain people navigate into leadership positions? I know I do! What qualifies a person to have authority over a group of individuals? Cruel, vicious, liars seem to rise to the top in some organizations, while others promote unintelligent pushover lakeys.
Even though good leaders can be found in various organizations, the ability to lead does not seem to be a required characteristic for positions of leadership, and this concerns me. Outside of the church, society makes the rules. Cutting someone else down to get an advantage at work is common practice. Lying, sucking up, and cheating mark many of our societal leaders. But they are not marks of Christ - the greatest leader to every live.
My husband says, if you think you're a leader, look behind you. Are people following? I am blessed to be married to a gifted leader. People follow him all the time. He leaves jobs, and his former co-workers still call for advice. Sometimes his superiors ask him to take the lead when they are unsure of the next step. My husband is no Jesus, but his leadership style is marked by Christ-likeness. So what do good leaders do?
Good Leaders:
1) Lead By Example - They do not ask people to do what they are unwilling to do. John 13:15 "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."
2) Are Informed - They are confident of their knowledge and do not feel threatened when people question them. Mark 1:22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
3) Decisive - They utilize wisdom to make decisions in a timely fashion and thoroughly explain their decision making process. John 11:41-42 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
4) Humble - They do not consider their value to be greater than those they lead. Philippians 2:5-6 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
5) Kind - They have a unique ability to not only care for others, but cause them to feel cared for. James 5:11b The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
When we consider leaders in our world, government, workforce, churches, and homes, how many good leaders can we name? How many people truly lead like Christ? If you are in a leadership position, have you thought about how you lead? Do people willingly follow you? Would they still follow you if you didn't hold the title you have now?
Most of us are required to lead in specific areas, and while some of us have much more leadership responsibility than others, we are all called to lead as Christ led.
Even though good leaders can be found in various organizations, the ability to lead does not seem to be a required characteristic for positions of leadership, and this concerns me. Outside of the church, society makes the rules. Cutting someone else down to get an advantage at work is common practice. Lying, sucking up, and cheating mark many of our societal leaders. But they are not marks of Christ - the greatest leader to every live.
Good Leaders:
1) Lead By Example - They do not ask people to do what they are unwilling to do. John 13:15 "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."
2) Are Informed - They are confident of their knowledge and do not feel threatened when people question them. Mark 1:22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
3) Decisive - They utilize wisdom to make decisions in a timely fashion and thoroughly explain their decision making process. John 11:41-42 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
4) Humble - They do not consider their value to be greater than those they lead. Philippians 2:5-6 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
5) Kind - They have a unique ability to not only care for others, but cause them to feel cared for. James 5:11b The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
When we consider leaders in our world, government, workforce, churches, and homes, how many good leaders can we name? How many people truly lead like Christ? If you are in a leadership position, have you thought about how you lead? Do people willingly follow you? Would they still follow you if you didn't hold the title you have now?
Most of us are required to lead in specific areas, and while some of us have much more leadership responsibility than others, we are all called to lead as Christ led.
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