Question: Are you a godly leader?
Every
one of us is a leader in some sense, because we all have people that look up to us
and emulate our example.
There are many kinds of
leaders who function in different environments. Some do so in a political
arena, others in a business or educational contexts, some in volunteer
organizations, others through various media outlets, some on sports teams, and
others in churches.
In recent decades, numerous
books have been written on the topic of leadership, along with secular business
principles and educational philosophies. But what precisely does leadership
mean? What qualities mark a true godly leader?
My underlying premise is that
every Christian, irrespective of their age, gender, marital status or
ability-level, is called to be a leader in God’s kingdom.
Authentic spiritual
leadership begins by following Jesus, who is the ultimate example for our lives.
Christ was a servant leader. Elements worth exploring concerning his unprecedented
leadership style include the following: (1) His mode of thinking, (2) His
manner of speaking, (3) His method of responding, and (4) His main concerns and
priorities in life. By investigating these aspects of Christ’s life, we are
able to come closer to figuring out what made him tick.
We can
only do so by knowing Christ intimately well. Jesus must serve as our primary model,
mentor, motivation and message.
We are all called to the
ministry of spiritual leadership within our respective spheres of influence,
whether it be our family, school, church, work, community, or world. There is
always someone who is watching us, even when we don’t realize it.
Misconceptions abound
regarding spiritual leadership. Many people picture a military officer issuing
orders or a boss managing his or her employees. While these aspects can
certainly constitute a part of leadership, they’re not the essence of it. In
fact, spiritual leadership is totally opposite to what most people think.
You see, spiritual
leadership is servant leadership.
Jesus Christ himself taught us, “just as the
Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). Jesus sacrificially served alongside of His
loyal followers in the most humble of ways.
Thus spiritual leadership
involves performing the tasks that no one else is willing to do. It requires
getting our hands dirty and pulling our weight. In Jesus’ time, the act of
washing feet was assigned to the lowliest of servants. However, at the Last
Supper, Jesus humbled himself and washed his disciples’ feet and called his
followers to do likewise (John 13:12-17).
Having a spirit of humility
and service will inspire others to follow you out of love and respect, rather
than fear or obligation.
The apostle Paul summed it up well when he said,
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). Meekness
is the attitude that puts others ahead of yourself and that considers others’
needs as being more important than your own.
The Bible says of the great
Israelite leader Moses, “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone
else on the face of the earth” (Num. 12:3). Thinking too highly of yourself
will keep you from genuinely caring about others. It will also prevent them
from following you.
Spiritual leadership also
requires integrity. People seldom want to follow a person they don’t trust or
respect. Most individuals are repulsed by those whom they can’t trust to tell
the truth. Proverbs 16:13 says, “Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value
a man who speaks the truth.”
So how can you go about
developing qualities of effective spiritual leadership in your life?
- First, pray to God for wisdom on how you can become a better leader (James 1:5).
- Second, ask God to transform your heart and develop the character traits in you that are required for godly leadership (1 Cor. 13:4-7; Gal. 5:22-23).
- Third, rely on God’s power to give you the strength and courage necessary to exhibit spiritual leadership. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Jesus Christ is the ultimate
example and model of godly leadership. He served effectually, though humbly,
and with integrity and honesty.
What kind of leader do you want to be?
