Legacy Leadership: Wisdom Of The Apostle PaulShembull

Pure Motives - Part 3

Paul’s motives were frequently under attack from those who opposed his two-prong mission of spreading the gospel and developing the faith of believers. It’s hard to be bold amid that kind of opposition! If we’re honest, we have to admit that our usual knee-jerk reaction to that kind of attack to is strike back at our attackers with similar accusations. This is not Spirit-empowered boldness and it won’t accomplish God’s purpose in our life or in the lives of our critics.

So, how should we respond? I think the Bible provides three ways for dealing with personal attacks.

First, we should examine ourselves to see if there is any kernel of truth in our critics’ charges. This self-examination should be done prayerfully in a spirit of humility: “examine me Lord.” David asked God to show him if any of his attitudes or behaviors were harmful to others or offensive to God (Psalm 139:23).

Paul followed David’s example. He told the Corinthians that he had examined himself and had a clear conscience, but that he was “not by that acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord” (1 Corinthians 4:4). His clear conscience gave him peace, comfort, and joy. He was confident in the Lord that he had conducted himself with “holiness and sincerity” among them (2 Corinthians 1:12).

A second strategy for dealing with attacks on our character is to use a personal board of directors to check our motives. We need to cultivate a group of people who have the opportunity to see us up close and personal on a regular basis. They should be allowed open access to our lives and given the freedom to question our motives and challenge our behaviors. Although Paul believed that God was the ultimate judge of his character and integrity, he often asked others to evaluate him based on what they had “learned and received and heard and seen in me” (Philippians 4:9).

Invited scrutiny was a key element Paul’s leadership. When he encountered criticism he asked those who knew him personally to evaluate the accuracy of the critics. He often reminded his followers that they had observed the way he had lived among them. In his speech at Miletus he reminds the elders that “you yourselves know” (Acts 20:18) that from the first day he had set foot there that he served the Lord with “all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews” (Acts 20:19). In spite of these trying circumstances, Paul “did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable” (Acts 20:20).

Paul’s strategy of invited scrutiny provides a third way – and perhaps the best way - to respond to this kind of character assignation: live in such a way that those accusations could not possibly be true. As legacy leaders, we should be above reproach, living in such a way that there is no doubt about the purity and sincerity of your motives (Philippians 2:15; 1 Timothy 3:2, 5:7; Titus 1:6-7). Paul understood this and reminds the Thessalonians – “as you know” - that they had observed him up close, and they knew that these accusations could not possibly be true.

If I am to lead with integrity, I must always confront my own lack of integrity. This demands a willingness to constantly reflect on my motives and the courage to confront my own hypocrisy. It also requires me to allow myself the discomfort of inviting the scrutiny of both the Lord and others who care enough to confront me about my motives, my attitudes, and my behavior. 

Reflect and Act on these questions:

Leaders are ambitious people, and certainly Paul was ambitious. Ambition can take two forms. First, there is selfish ambition. The intent of this form of ambition is to bring glory to self. The second form of ambition is Godly ambition that desires to bring glory and honor to God. 

• Examine your own ambition.
• What is the ultimate goal of your ambition?
• Is it a selfish ambition or is it a Godly ambition?
• One of the most important questions for leaders is “What’s your motive?” We need to ask ourselves that question on a regular basis. But, we also need to cultivate a personal board of directors that we allow to ask us that question.
• Who is someone in your life that you will allow to check your motives?
• Cultivate a personal board of directors - an inner circle of confidants- who can help you apply the Motive Check List.