Who You Were Made To Be // Going DeeperIhe Atụ

The Definition of Real Leadership

I see you pushing and pulling. You think you’re the one who needs to make everything happen. If you don’t do it, who will, you say. You tell yourself you like it—you love the movement of a day, the mountain of challenge, the obstacle in your way. For it can be moved. All can be moved. You say.

You like it when things come up against you, when there is a difference of opinion, when you have a platform on which to stand. For you have much to say, much to contribute, much to convince others about what is wrong with the world—or with them—and what you think will make it, or them, right. You like to push forward, and pull others along. This is leading, you say. You grab the hands of people who were afraid to move forward, and you pull them toward what you think is good for them to do. You seek to inspire. You seek to motivate. You seek to educate. You seek to challenge. It is energizing, you say.

Let Me tell you something.

Yes, it is good to lead. It is good to have opinions, convictions. It is good to go forward, unafraid of the obstacles, the mountains of pressure pushing every which way. But is this “leading,” just because it is hard? Is this “leading,” just because you think that what you are doing is good? Let Me ask you something: What are you leading people to? And is it truly for their good? Is it truly for what they need? Or is it for you? Is your leading for your own pride? Are you eager to have people worship you?

Be careful that your leadership is not a guise for something else—an insecurity, an attempt to gain affection, a ruse to earn love. True leadership comes in many forms—in words, in example, in action. But the foundation for leadership is love. Without it, all leadership is hollow. Without it. all leadership leads to death.

The act of love is the only example of true leadership—of leadership that is good, of leadership that brings life. For leadership without love is not leadership at all. Rather, it a show of your own strength, a production of the false self that leads only to destruction for anyone who follows you. . . and for you, the leader too.

Distrust the roar of the crowds. Distrust the jarring of applause. Distrust the acclaim, the pressing in of voices and noise and noise and noise. Where is the music of laughter from joy? Where is the beauty of celebration over healing? Where is the suffering for the sake of another? Where is the dying to self so that real leadership can begin?

If it is on your heart to lead, think about why it is that you are doing it. Ask yourself this before you take that first measured step. Or, better yet, ask Me why. Ask Me, “Father, why does my heart beat fast to lead people?" Ask Me, “Lord, why it is that I am drawn to head into this battle, and ask people to follow me in each step?”

I will hear you, when you ask Me. And I will answer you. But first, let me tell you one more thing: leadership requires laying yourself down. All of you. Complete surrender. For the leading I ask you to do requires your full self, the son, the daughter I have created you to be. It requires My strength. It requires My light. It requires My power. It requires My love. Without Me you can do things, but not the things you are made to do. And what kind of leading, then, is that? What is the point of leading anyone toward anything if it doesn’t lead, ultimately, to Me?

This world will tell you different. I know. But lay yourself down first, son, daughter. And then lead. Applause is just a cheap kind of love.

Exercise:

If we try to figure out what leadership should look like by looking at leaders around us—at work, in our government, in our culture—things can get pretty confusing. So many of these [quote/unquote] leaders lead with wrong motives. They lead out of pride and greed, for acclaim and wealth—not for the good of their followers or supporters or constituents, but for the good of themselves. So many of them try to use force and fear to exploit, rather than wisdom and compassion and self-sacrifice in order to love.

In the message we just read, we were challenged to consider the kind of leadership we’re exhibiting in our own spheres of influence. Whether we lead in our places of work or in our homes or in our relationships—we are all leaders in some sense, in some context. We all have opportunities to influence and impact people. And we all have choices about what kind of leaders we’re going to be.

Jesus provides a powerful and perfect model for what leadership should look like. He Himself said about His own leadership style, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” That’s Matthew chapter 20, verse 28. He didn’t lead because of what He could get out of the arrangement; He led because of what He could give. He didn’t lead out of selfishness, but out of the ultimate form of selflessness—”to give his life as a ransom for many.” Those last words are also from the same verse in Matthew.

He shepherded people. He didn’t coerce them to do what He wanted them to do. He didn’t use intimidation and manipulation. He used influence and devotion and love.

And we can emulate Him. If we choose to, we can be leaders who lead like Jesus.

In the message, just moments ago, Holy Spirit challenged us to consider our leadership—why we do it and how we do it. So, let’s spend a few minutes now doing just that.

Here’s a first question for you to ponder: Where are you a leader? What are your areas of influence?

In your areas of influence, what are you leading people to? What’s your goal?

Now, consider how you typically lead the people you lead. What’s your approach? What kind of leader are you?

Now think about . . . how do you lead like Jesus led?

Now, how do you lead that is not at all like Jesus. Take your time, and be honest with this one.

Do you tend to lead for your sake or for the sake of the people who follow you? Do you ever lead because you want control—because you want things to turn out a certain way. Does pride ever get in the way of love?

When you lead, how does it make you feel? Are you filled with peace and joy? Or frustration and exhaustion?

How do people respond to your leading? Are they flourishing? Are they being healed and restored and cared for?

Now, one final question, but this one’s for Jesus. So let’s make sure our hearts and minds are open to hearing His answer. Let’s consecrate to Him our hearts and minds, and our imaginations too, so we can hear His still small voice.

Jesus, how do You want me to lead? Show me a picture now, in my mind, of what kind of leader You want me to be. Show me what it looks like to lead with Your love in me.

And now, let’s go ahead and confess the ways we have led that are different from the picture Jesus just gave us. Let’s confess the ways we’ve hurt people . . . and repent. Let’s turn from those ways and adopt a new mindset. Let’s begin again, and adopt a mindset based upon the picture Jesus just gave us.

Jesus, thank you. You say that leadership without love is not leadership at all. Well, I want to be a good leader, a loving leader. I want to be Your kind of leader. So, I confess and repent my old ways. [Go ahead and offer those ways up to Him now.]

And Jesus, I begin again—trusting You now, looking to You now.

Thank You that I get to begin again. And help me to lead with Your love.

In Your name, Jesus. Amen.