Tag: Jesus

Optimistic Leadership…

Nelson Mandela said, “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”

We are challenged to remain positive and optimistic in a world filled with the kind of hatred that fosters negativity and pessimism.

Dark moments will come, but biblical leaders understand the hope in Christ that endures despair.

The victory Jesus achieved must keep us focused and moving forward.

Need for Rest…

Throughout the gospels, we find times where Jesus took the apostles aside to rest.

Leaders can easily get caught up in work, and fail to get the needed rest to reflect, relax, and renew. As hard as this can be, it is necessary to adequately prepare for the challenges leaders face.

A few simple ideas will help.

1) Plan a day, at least every other week, to rest.
2) Turn the phone off for the day and go somewhere peaceful.
3) Ask God to provide rest to strengthen our service.
4) Spend time alone with family.

We improve with a little rest.

Glory Through Suffering…

An interesting connection exists between suffering and glory. Look through God’s word and see how they relate and their connection to the life of Jesus.

Certainly, we are all aware of how Jesus suffered while here on earth: His persecution, shame, and sacrifice at the cross.

No one longs for or anticipates suffering. We desire the glory to come, but we must realize the suffering related to that glory and lead with an understanding of such.

Paul identifies that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared to the glory to be revealed to us, but suffering does come first.

A Leadership Masterpiece…

A masterpiece refers to outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship.

These terms relate to everything from art to mechanics. However, one of the most fascinating is humanity.

The Greek word is poiema, the workmanship of God. Paul paints a beautiful picture of what God creates in Christ Jesus. Poiema means “to make happen.” God makes a new creation happen through Christ Jesus (cf. 2 Co. 5:17).

As God’s poiema, we have an opportunity to make the greatest work on earth happen––leadership.

Knowing God…

Biblical leadership involves qualities, traits, virtues, and principles that guide character formation. As such, a biblical leader is one who desires to know God.

Scripture is filled with passages that emphasize the need to know God. Jesus said eternal life is aligned with knowing God and the One who was sent by Him.

Paul counted everything as loss for the “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:8). His heritage, material possessions, academic achievement, and religious position were worthless when laid alongside this knowledge.

Biblical leaders are driven by a passion to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

Observational Power…

Relevant leaders practice observation. Observing how God works in our lives opens us up to the possibility of God using us to help others.

Consider this Chinese proverb, “If you want happiness for an hour––take a nap. If you want happiness for a day––go fishing. If you want happiness for a year––inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime––help someone else.” 

Look and discover what goes on in the lives of others, why it takes place, and how to show the light of Jesus.

Take a few moments to observe the special people placed on our path each day.

A Spiritual Guide…

Where do followers go when they meet with difficult challenges?

Where would leaders have them go when needs outweigh the balances of monetary ability?

Spiritual leaders will always face questions from those who follow. 

Jesus once asked the apostles if they were going to walk away, to which Peter responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68).

When followers turn to leaders, will they receive words of eternal life? Will they learn how to get through life and gain eternity?

Where else can they go if not to spiritual leaders who desire to guide them to know God and a home in heaven?

How Did We Use Our Time?

Today marks the beginning of a new month and, hopefully, positive steps toward the end of a pandemic.

Have you wondered where the time went? 

Perhaps a more pertinent question is, “What did we do with the time to influence lasting change in the lives of others?”

We should ask ourselves, “Did we introduce someone to Jesus? Did we provide a greater influence for the kingdom?”

Although the pandemic may not be completely over, we must always think about our influence and how we lead others.

Leading by Love…

Leaders must exercise caution when it comes to their influence when leading others.

When our conversations focus on “me, myself, and I,” we need to evaluate who we promote.

Spiritual leadership turns its attention to the good of others, even at the expense of self.

Jesus taught about the powerful nature of love. The lesson is that all people will know we are His disciples when we have love for one another. If our words and actions promote self, then we teach a different lesson.

Leadership may be challenged by this battle, but love wins every time.

An Objective Leader…

Objectivity carries the thought of being uninfluenced by personal feelings or opinions when considering and representing facts. The ability to lead objectively is rare, if not impossible.

Jesus said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (Jn. 7:24).

From this thought we learn several lessons.

Examine the facts carefully. Make certain all the facts have been gathered.
Study more deeply and diligently. Emotions tend to rationalize truth. Dig!
Ask penetrating questions. Good questions develop depth to the information.

One word that should characterize the quality of all leaders is objectivity.