The Leadership ChallengeSample

Challenge 43

PAUL, BUILDING CHARACTER

READ: Romans 5:1–11

Character absolutely does matter! And God is in the character-building business in His followers. He does that in many ways, but very often our character is built up through adversity and suffering as we trust in Christ. This is why Paul tells us even to rejoice in our sufferings (see also 2 Corinthians 4:1–18). We are to look at them in light of God’s overall work in our life and our experience of God’s goodness, mercy, and love for us. God is at work building character, shaping us to be just like Jesus Christ, our perfect leader (Romans 8:29). Even in the Army, a very hierarchical system, I learned that good leadership does not rest on the authority granted by position but comes from the influence earned by character. You certainly need to be a competent leader, to know the craft of your military calling, and you will be granted a certain degree of respect because of your rank. But if you want men and women to be willing to follow you even into the valley of the shadow of death, your character must inspire trust. Such character is often created and tested in adversity.

What does our text tell us is one of the fruits of character produced by suffering? Why is this particular fruit important to good leadership? What inspiration can you draw for your leadership from the character of Jesus’s love in verses 6–8?