Practicing Secrecy in an Age of InfluenceSampel

Be the Guide, Not the Hero

On a recent podcast, author and speaker Graham Cochrane offered this advice, "Be the guide, not the hero." In context, he was talking about the posture a coach should take when teaching a student. The wisdom of his words runs deep, applying to so many areas of life and leadership.

Practicing the discipline of secrecy in an age of influence looks a lot like taking on the posture of a guide. A guide is solely focused on pointing people to someone greater than themselves. In contrast, a hero wants to attract the praise of others in an effort to build their own personal kingdom.

In the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, there is a story about a man who ate locusts and wild honey. A man that people from all around were going out into the wilderness to see. This man was sent as a guide to prepare the way for the One who would come after him. This man was known as John the Baptist. (See Mark 1:4-8)

This same John, the one "who would proclaim a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins," when speaking about Jesus, once said, "He must increase, but I must decrease." (See John 3:30) During his public ministry, John sought no prominent place for himself. He was not building a kingdom for himself. Instead, he would direct all would-be followers to Jesus. Why? Because John was the guide and Jesus the Hero.

Take a moment to reflect on the example of John the Baptist. Consider how his life would direct all glory to Jesus as the praise of man came his way. Consider the many applications in your daily life where God might call you to "be the guide, not the hero." As a parent, how might you focus on being the guide, directing your kids to Jesus, the only One worthy of their praise? Or perhaps as a leader of a small group at your church, how might knowing that you are the guide, not the hero, free you from having to have all of the correct answers all of the time? And in your work, how might being the guide, not the hero, free you to slow down to take time to teach the next generation?