Tag: Ability

Ability vs Character…

John Wooden once said, “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”

We have all seen people with great ability, college and professional athletes, musicians, and others in the entertainment field. However, ability does not equal character.

Without character, regardless of the ability, it is impossible to have lasting leadership.

Nothing is more significant for spiritual leaders than humility. When spiritual influence is guided by a humble spirit, character naturally follows. When combined with ability, we find the staying power of Christlike leadership.

Unlimited Leadership…

The power of the mind is amazing. However, a Chinese proverb says, “Limitations are but the boundaries we place in our minds.”

The Old Testament account of the ten spies demonstrates this limitation. How they saw themselves kept them from seeing how God would lead them to victory.

Denis Waitley said, “It’s not who you are that holds you back. It’s who you think you’re not.”

Leaders are held back, not because they lack ability, but they see themselves as incapable of accomplishing the task.

We must recognize who God is and all He will do through the power that works within us.

Actions and Motives…

Leaders give of their time and ability. They possess a willingness to help others reach their greatest potential for God and His church.

Leaders are also selfless. While the ideas are interrelated and it can become difficult to distinguish them, the difference is the action of one and the motivation in the other. 

Effective leadership makes the sacrifice, but the reason they make it is the selfless heart of God’s servant.

William Barclay once said, “Always give without remembering; always receive without forgetting.”

The thought speaks to actions and motives. It should motivate us to lead this way.

A Prerequisite for Leadership…

What prerequisites are needed for successful leadership? Good communicator? Solid character? Leadership ability?

While I realize choosing one prerequisite for leadership can be subjective, I have learned over the years the main prerequisite needed is a relationship with God.

Leaders often fail when attempting to go it alone.
Leaders blindly falter when leading from a humanistic worldview.
Leaders suffer needlessly because they seek help from worldly wisdom.

Only with the guidance, strength, and help of the Almighty God can we lead with this foundational prerequisite for successful leadership. Do we know Him?

Responsible Leadership…

Ability + opportunity = responsibility

Everyone has ability. These abilities fall into categories of natural, acquired, and spiritual (God given). Not everyone has the same ability, thus the design of the church so it will function properly, as God designed it (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12).

Opportunities are circumstances presenting possibility. We must recognize the possibilities and look for the opportunities God provides.

Therefore, we are responsible to use our abilities, consider the possibilities, and seek the God given opportunities. 

Imagine what God could do through us in changing our community, or maybe the world, if we were to assume such responsibility.