Are You a Leader?

“And Samuel told him, ‘Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel.’” (1 Samuel 15:17 NLT)

Just because you have a following, doesn’t make you a leader! In today’s world we don’t have to look far to find empty shells in positions of leadership. There’s never been a time in history when there are so many examples of “the blind leading the blind,” but, unfortunately, the stakes have never been higher.

In 1 Samuel the Israelites have demanded a king and Saul has been chosen. In chapter 15 God sent him on a mission, but he didn’t follow the Lord’s directives. The Prophet Samuel confronts him, but in verse 20 Saul says: “But I did obey the Lord,” when in fact he did not. He ultimately pleaded for forgiveness, but his sin cost him the kingdom of Israel.

What “kingdom” is your sin costing you? What is your partial obedience to the Lord costing you in terms of the influence you have or had over those who look to you for guidance and leadership? You may be leading a family, a company, a team at work, a church or group at church, but are you compromising your principles and walking in disobedience to the Lord to be accepted and liked?

What about that little boy or girl who thinks you’re the king of their universe? What about that spouse who thinks you’re the real deal when you’re nothing but a fraud? What if those who look up to you, who “follow” you could see what you see on the screen of your mind? Do you not realize that nothing, absolutely nothing, escapes God’s view?

As a Jesus follower leadership is defined by our obedience first and foremost to the Lord. If we’re compromising what God has clearly instructed us to be and do, we’ve ceased to be qualified to lead. Does that mean we won’t ever sin or use bad judgment? Of course not, but it does mean we can’t consistently follow the dictates of our own conscience, walking in blatant sin, and expect God’s blessing.

Leaders for Jesus must first be followers of Jesus. When we begin to think more highly of ourselves than we should, it’s going to be reflected in how and who we lead. Partnership with Jesus is our goal. To be yoked with Him in submission to His authority in our life is critical before we’ll ever be qualified to lead. To think we can lead others without dependence upon the Lord is like trying to maneuver through a tsunami in a life raft, it’s only going to lead to our destruction.

Leadership isn’t simply a position to be filled, it’s an obligation for which we give an account. To believe we can lead for our glory and honor, whether in the church or in a secular position, is to miss the point of leadership. It’s not about us. It’s only and always about the glory of God being evidenced in and through the lives of those we’re seeking to lead.

To the extent our leadership gives fuller and clearer visibility to Jesus, to that extent the people we lead will be helped and God will be honored. Perhaps the greatest evidence of effective leadership is to see the will of God being carried out in those who look to us as their leader. We rise, not by keeping others down, but by getting out of their way as they grow in their giftedness and God’s favor.

As I understand it, effective leadership is working myself out of a job. It’s creating an environment where the lives of the people I lead will not be hindered by my absence but enhanced. When I finish my course, it should be as natural as the flow of a river for someone in whom I’ve poured myself to assume the reins of leadership without hindering the work God has given us. A leader should not only know when to take the reins, but when to pass them on.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊