Biblical Leadership: What Is Your Leadership Purpose?Sample

3. Develop my Gifts; Apply Myself

So far, we’ve covered the simpler responses related to the purpose of your work as a leader – supporting family, church, and those less fortunate.

While these answers are biblically correct, they are just the tip of what the Bible teaches – and, in fact, they apply to everyone, don’t they?

So now, let’s dig into what God might additionally expect from you as a leader. He has given you each a set of leadership gifts, and certainly, these gifts are not meant to be ignored, are they?

Check Jesus’ parable of the ten talents:

Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.  – Matthew 25:14-15

In this parable, the master entrusts varying amounts of wealth (talents) to the three servants (managers). Obviously, the managers are expected to invest and develop what has been given to them to show a return on investment when the master comes back.

To make the point, Jesus shares that the manager who did not show any return on investment faces severe reprimand when the master finds out:

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant … you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. – Matthew 25:26a,27

In the same way, you have been given various leadership and management gifts by God, and to ignore those gifts – especially to pursue something else for your own pleasure – is tantamount to sin.

Next to applying the gifts you already have, know that God is in the leadership development business. The Bible often talks about a “raising up” of leaders, doesn’t it?

In addition to the obvious example of Jesus developing his disciples as leaders for the new church, there are many other examples throughout the Old Testament of men & women being “raised up” as fit-for-purpose leaders of Israel:

For Moses: But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. – Exodus 9:16

For King Jeroboam: I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. – 1 Kings 14:7b

In the same way, developing the leadership gifts that God has given you is part of fulfilling your God-given purpose as a leader, isn’t it?

And as you do so, you should never neglect to use the gifts you already have:

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is… teaching, then teach;.. if it is to lead, do it diligently. – Romans 12:6-8 

Leadership development and application – both are integral to your purpose as a leader in the workplace. 

But it doesn’t end there, does it?

Reflection / Application

1. Can you list the leadership gifts already given to you by God? What are they?
2. Can you see how God may be “raising you up” through leadership development for an expanded impact? How?
3. To what ultimate purpose do you think God has given you these leadership gifts and development opportunities?