Skip to main content

Follow the Leader

    Since my post from yesterday, I still have leadership on my mind. I went over how we relate to other leaders, but what about if we ourselves feel called into a life of leadership? How do we begin the process of fulfilling that calling on our lives?

     The most important thing for a leader to do is to follow. I strongly believe that all of us should be submissive and respectful of leadership that is already in place, regardless of whether we agree with them or not. Like I mentioned in my last post, we should honor those in leadership because they have been allowed in that position by God. When we encounter leaders we do not agree with it is so tempting to assert our own dominance and usurp their positions one way or another. That is never the right answer!

    Jesus calls us into a life of humility and submission. You should never assert yourself or promote yourself, but rather wait until He raises you up to where He wants you. You need to be okay with following even if He never puts you in an official position. Not only following your leaders here on earth, but also remembering to follow God above everyone. He is our compass and He is the one who should light our way at all times. If we can't follow Him we are certainly not going to be able to lead others to Him.

    If you are feeling called into a life of leadership and are tempted to work your own way into a position, check your heart! What's more important to you? Being in control and having your own way, or following Jesus' lead wherever that may be? Start leading by following those who have already been established and see where God takes you.

Matthew 23:12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (NIV)

Luke 26:23 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. (ESV)

Mark 9:35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all." (NIV)

1 Peter 5:5-6 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (NIV)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Seeing by Faith

    When we are trying to live by faith, the things that inhibit us are the things that are right under our noses. We are trained to live based on the things around us. We don't believe anything if we don't see proof of it. The things around us are more our reality than what we say we believe in. But the Bible tells us that we are to walk by faith and not by sight. We are to live based on what we know is truth, not by what we see.     The things we see around us distract us from the reality we should be living in. What is unseen is eternal and more important than the things of this world. We need to fix our eyes on what is lasting and know the difference. We need to be filling ourselves with the word and not the world. When we are distracted by the world, we forget the truth. We become discouraged and doubt our faith. We need to draw strength from one another so that we may run the race with endurance.     What is determining your reality today? Is i...

How Firm a Foundation

Matthew 7:24-27 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” Luke 6:46-49 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against th...

Pergamum

Revelation 2:13-16  “I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city. “But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin. In a similar way, you have some Nicolaitans among you who follow the same teaching. Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth." (NLT)     To the church in Pergamum, Jesus commends them for their faithfulness. Interesting that what He told the church in Smyrna they were doing wrong was just what those in Pergamum were doing right! They lived in an area that made it particularly difficult to stay devoted to Christ because of all the persecution, yet...