Admit it. We often feel the need to have the last word? Most relationships involve someone who feels this need. What does it really mean? Does it provide any real benefit to the relationship?

The jury may be out for while on answering those questions. However, when spiritual leadership is at stake, there is a need to understand who, or perhaps what, should have the last word.

Of course we are talking about THE last word, the word of God.

Many disregard it, neglect it, avoid it, abuse it, change it, and rewrite it, but God’s word remains the source to help us lead others.

His word provides everything for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3).

His word remains the light to direct our steps throughout life (Ps. 119:105).

His word instills hope even when life is filled with challenges (Ro. 5:1-5).

His word never changes!

If we always use “THE last word” in our leadership, we will always change the lives of those who follow. Our prayer should be for God to give us the courage and strength to lead this way.

Friendship is a beautiful relationship of mutual trust and support.

We all know the powerful results of true friendship. The relationship between two people who share such mutual trust and support is unmatched.

Leadership is not always seen from the perspective of friendship. Leadership is often accompanied by loneliness and seen as a lonely position. We often hear the idea expressed, “It’s lonely at the top.”

While this may be true in many corporate or political settings, it does not have to be true in every situation.

Spiritual leadership is about pointing people to heaven, helping others see the light of Jesus. If we are going to fulfill this responsibility we must be involved in the lives of others, developing friendships.

Jesus was called “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Mt. 11:19). Maybe we can see just how much we need to understand friendship and the connection of friendship when pointing others to Jesus.

When leaders develop relationships of mutual trust and support, the friendships that blossom provide a source of strength and encouragement for addressing all challenges.

Most importantly, we will help others get to heaven.

We do not need to drag this thought out to the point it loses the significance needed for leaders to make a change. What is more important is the need to raise an awareness within leadership to address an area where much good can be done.

Success in leading the most unlikely begins with identifying who the most unlikely are we are trying to lead.

Identifying the unlikely can be very subjective to each individual. However we identify the unlikely, the need is evident when it comes to our leadership.
Where should we start?

They live everywhere, but often have nowhere to live.

They have nothing to give, yet often give all they have to help someone else.

They scrape by with little hope, yet hope is often all they have to scrape by.

Leading the unlikely will involve an effort to provide a combination of all three ideas. We must look for ways to give hope of a life that is better now and in the future. We must provide genuine friendship without ulterior motives, where we develop an intimacy that goes beyond the surface.

“Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.” Norman Schwarzkopf

This thought stands on its own. There is no doubt when it comes to the necessity of character in our leadership. As well, leadership must also involve strategy. However, over the years God gives us, our understanding and appreciation of Schwarzkopf’s statement should grow immensely.

We have examined several areas about character in the past and there is no need to think it can be overstated. Character is the very substance of leadership.

The determination of character is the head of character.

The development of character is the heart of character.

The demonstration of character is the hands of character.

Where there is character, there is leadership! We need strategy, but strategy takes a distant second place to the necessity of character when considering our role as leaders.

Maybe we all find it easy to be negative. Whether it is age, circumstances of life, witnessing various elements / changes within the church, or any number of areas, we can too often allow ourselves to become cynical.

This is WRONG!

How can we as leaders allow the external situations surrounding us influence our efforts in making change? The answer is simply, we cannot and we must not!

When we consider how God has empowered us with the ability to choose, and that he has provided redemption and freedom from the consequences of sin, how can we not live in Biblical joy.

We not only have a reason to live, but a reason to have joy in this life as we anticipate the coming of an eternal one.

Considering the information given to us, our efforts as leaders must be to make a positive change. The external circumstances will always exist and challenge the core of leadership. However, we must arise above it and lead to make a positive change, and it all begins with us!

Have we ever considered the power behind these two words, for life?

What does it mean when we accept a responsibility for life? Do we understand the value and intent behind a commitment for life?

We have entered the season for weddings, and it seems that couples who marry are getting younger and younger. A great level of excitement goes into the work that makes about 25-30 minutes a special half hour in the life of two special people.

As the vows are exchanged, the thought of for life take on a new significance.

There will be challenges ahead, but they will be faced together because of these two words.

Family problems will arise, both within and without, but they will be met when for life is understood.

Difficulties with health occur, but they will be overcome when faced for life.

Leadership is the same. Assuming we understand our influence on others we lead, it must be for life.

It is an opportunity, not a chore. It is a privilege, not drudgery.

We can make a difference when we know it is for life.

Last week we talked about tomorrow. Somehow, it was only fitting to follow up with yesterday.

We are aware that we cannot live in the past, nor can we return to the past to change it in some way. If we all had a chance to live yesterday over, without any doubt, there are some areas we would change.

Yesterday provides a benefit to our leadership in several ways.

1) We can learn from the successes and failures of yesterday.

2) We can plan a better future based on the history of yesterday.

3) We can establish measures to prevent duplicating the mistakes of yesterday.

4) We can lead others onto a straighter course based on yesterday.

5) We can find joy in the pleasures of a life well lived yesterday.

Feel free to add to the list of ways yesterday provides benefit to our leadership. There is evidence that we all strive to survive the present with an anticipation of the future. However, we also need to stop on occasion and benefit from the past.

For several weeks we have been talking about the task of leading the most unlikely. We know who it is and we know the biblical teaching that supports the need.

However, the reality of taking action is difficult.

We will become vulnerable emotionally, mentally, and physically.

We will expose ourselves for who we really are at the core of our being.

We must develop a compassion for the pain of others and a greater desire to get involved to help.

We would also be well served to understand that those who need to change the most are the most likely to change. Yet, we see them as the most unlikely to change and thus we do not consider leading them to Christ.

The difficulty of these matters is learning to be genuine in our care for leading the most unlikely. We must learn how to love unconditionally.

Loving unconditionally means that no matter what someone has done, what they believe, or how they treat us, we still love them.

Unconditional is what leads others to the Savior! When we demonstrate it, we are leading the most unlikely.

“One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.” Arnold Glasow

Recognizing problems in advance is a challenge for all leaders. There are benefits to preventing problems from becoming emergencies.

The question is what can a leader do to recognize these problems in advance?

Accept that problems will happen. Living in denial, ignoring, or hoping a problem will go away invites an emergency. Problems are a part of life and accepting this fact will help in preventing emergencies.

Practice good communication. Good communication is a two way street. However, the key is learning to listen more than speaking. Many problems could be detected sooner if leaders listened more carefully.

Ask appropriate questions. At the first sign of a problem of this nature, learn to ask questions related to what might be occurring.

Learn from the past. Chances are, this is not the first problem. Use the lessons learned from previous experience as a foundation for the future.

There are no exact lists to resolve every problem in advance. However, a few simply ideas will help make major differences.

The character of an individual is foundational to the success of leadership. We know this to be true, but what is the fiber of our character.

Psalm 15:2 contributes three key elements: a way of life, work ethic, and manner of speech. Character is really defined by the three phrases.

We must walk with integrity. Our integrity is demonstrated through honest, moral uprightness seen in a incorruptible ethical practices.

We must work righteousness. The idea stated by the Psalmist involves working what is right in the eyes of God.

Speak truth in your heart. If truth does not originate in the heart, it will not be seen in the consistency of word and speech.

When the whole of our life and leadership is developed on the foundation of these three areas, our character is defined as God would define it.

If we were to sum it up in a few simple words, it would follow the claim of Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner in The Leadership Challenge, “The video needs to match the audio.”

Let us arise and lead with character.