Tag: Leadership

What Do We See?

Do we see the best in others…or the worst?
Do we seek truth…or are we satisfied with preconceived ideas?
Are we content with getting by…or do we look for ways to excel?
Do our passions seek to be authoritative….or do we trust in good intentions?

John Lubbock reminds us, “What we see depends mainly on what we look for.”

Remember, people reflect the attitude and character we demonstrate. Be cautious, because they will also find what they are looking for in us as leaders.

What we look for in others is exactly what they will look for in us. Are we leading with this in mind?

Character

Character is the very substance of leadership. Where there is character, there will always be leadership. John Maxwell claims, “Talent is a gift, but character is a choice.”

Why is it so significant to examine areas regarding leadership character?

As leaders, character is indicated by the actions created from the choices we make. I find it interesting that our choices determine our character and, at the same time, our character determines our choices.

How should character be defined? How does character define our leadership? What happens when our character is flawed or seen as no longer credible?

Think on it.

Matthew

Matthew was a tax collector and hated by the Jews. Tax collectors were not seen as an example to follow.

However, Matthew was an apostle called by Jesus, but what made him different? Consider two reasons.

Committed: The text is explicit: When called by Jesus, Matthew immediately left everything behind to follow. He walked away from security and wealth.

Compassionate: Matthew hosted a great feast for Jesus. He invited what the Pharisees called “tax collectors and sinners.” Matthew wanted all his friends to hear about Jesus.

Not a great deal is known about Matthew, but these two areas make him stand out as an example.

Helping or Enabling

There is a difference between helping and enabling. There is also a difference in how we perceive helping and the reality of our actions.

Remember the proverb: Give someone a fish and feed them for a day or teach them how to fish and feed them for life. Which one is really helping?

Our leadership needs to be based on the same idea. When we strive to help someone, it should be considered beyond the temporary need of the moment.

Let us lead with the conviction of helping others long term, perhaps eternally. Here is where the legacy of our leadership will be determined.

Justice

God’s people have always been charged with caring for the poor, widows, and orphans. More than 2,000 verses in the Bible touch on this subject, none more powerfully than James, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

We’ve not done a good job. Somehow, we need to consider how we are going to care for these needs.

We must not excuse ourselves by allowing other organizations to assume this responsibility.

It is time for spiritual leaders to take the lead regarding God’s justice.

Leading With Promise

Years ago, I was reminded of a powerful thought, “Never make a promise you can’t keep.”

I realize circumstances can prevent us from keeping a promise. However, this is not my point.

The point is to be careful and thoughtful before speaking.

Jesus noted the need to be careful about our words. Yes needs to mean yes and no, no. When we say we will do something, then do it. Nothing is more frustrating than when someone says, “I’ll call you right back,” and then they never do.

Be a leader who is bound to their word. Never make a promise you can’t keep!

Leading With Love

One of the greatest needs in our world and yet so challenging involves love.

God loves us for who we are and where we are, unconditionally. Unconditionally is where the difficulty begins.

Paul told the church in Rome that God “demonstrates His love toward us.” The love God demonstrated in the past benefits us now and there is no assessment of it ever ending.

To lead others to the love of God, we must demonstrate the nature of God’s love to them.

We even love those who are not always easy to love. If God continues to love us in this way, we must do the same toward others.

John…Part 2

John’s writings identify the type of leadership he provided for the church. As I mentioned last week, several of these qualities provide an example for us today.

Fellowship: John understood the value of fellowship among Christians and with the Lord. He urged Christians to walk in fellowship with God and each other.

Vision: John knew the future of the church depended on men who were willing to work in the fields of harvest. He also knew such men needed support.

Servant: John’s writings about Jesus as a servant were followed by his own example to the church. Reading through his letters shows the qualities of a servant leader.

Survival

Few ideas are more significant than the need for survival. For some, finding a meal for the day is a matter of survival. For others, getting through the day with their life is a matter of survival.

Leadership survival is an area of great need.

Leaders struggle to survive challenges to their faith and practice.

Leaders must survive the false accusations to their character by dissenters.

Leaders need survival skills against the forces of division.

Survival is a priority when it comes to leadership. Sadly, the survival of leadership often involves “being shot at from both sides.”

The Invisible

To lead the most unlikely, we have to see the unseen, or as they are often described, the invisible. What is meant by the invisible?

The invisible are people we cannot or choose to not see. Why?

Perhaps it is the color of their skin, the type of clothes they wear, the home where they live (or lack thereof), the way they smell, of perhaps the lack of personal hygiene.

Maybe we do not want to see because we are afraid of the responsibility.

It is difficult to lead those who are invisible to us. Think about it!