I've been thinking a lot lately about "Leadership." You can walk into a Barnes and Noble or Books A Million or even a Christian bookstore and find tons of books on Leadership. I've read a bunch over the years and will continue to. You see, I'm of the conviction that leaders are learners and when you stop learning, you stop leading. So continuing to be teachable is KEY.
But... I am convinced there is a CORE quality in every TRUE Leader. Yes, you can lead without this quality. But not well. And definitely not as the leader God would have you to be.
The greatest leader of all time - Jesus Christ - made it very clear. In Matthew 20 he says, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you (that is, followers of Jesus) it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."
A True Leader has the heart of a SERVANT.
In the world's system, leaders are leaders because of their position, power, authority, popularity, family, etc... But as followers of Jesus, we are NOT OF THIS WORLD. We live in the Kingdom of God. And in the Kingdom, Jesus is in charge. He is Lord, He is Leader. And we come under His leadership.
Every great leader recognizes that he or she not only has authority, but is one who lives UNDER authority.
In Philippians 2, the Bible says that Jesus came and emptied Himself of His rights as God. He did not use His "rights" for His own advantage. Instead, He humbled Himself to death on a cross. And because of that, God gave Him the name that is above all names. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
If the Savior of mankind humbled Himself, if the very Son of God came to serve, then that is what we are to do. Seek humility. Decrease. Give. Love. Encourage. Help. Serve.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are a Leader by definition.
You have influence. Steward it wisely.
Humility, not pride, is the path to greatness. Serving, not being served, is the path to greatness.
You are a TRUE LEADER when you don't have to prove your Greatness to yourself or to anyone else. Humble yourself and God will lift you up.
Let's take our cue from Jesus!!!
