Sometimes the only way we see ourselves as a leader is when the situation is literally thrown upon us. Christians usually don’t get up in the morning and say to themselves or God, “Make me a great leader of the people I will be in contact with today”. What usually happens is that we do all that we can to stay in a mindset of isolation from other people and situations. We don’t want to be asked to do more things for others because our plate already is spilling over.
Do more for others? I can’t even do a good job leading those people I already am connected with. There are not enough hours in the day to do all that we envision we should be doing as a leader.
Most of the time we have no plan for leading others. Situations just pop up that call on us to gird up our loins and take the responsibility for guiding and encouraging others in their time of need. We don’t necessarily plan to help and influence other people, life just happens, and we respond as the leader disciples God has called us to be.
Do we seek after a leadership strategy? Do we make plans with specific goals to help direct and lead others in their life situations? Or do we just wait till life has affected them before we step in and help?
Are we reluctant leaders?
Here are 4 characteristics of a reluctant leader.
1 – Feels guilty where they are at. The issue with the reluctant leader is that they don’t feel like being a leader. I mean isn’t a leader someone who already knows the way, goes the way and shows the way? I certainly know the way, as a matter of fact, I am an expert of knowing what to do to help people and myself. It’s the personal “going the way” that I fall flat on my face. How can I show the way to others if I am not going the way myself? I think this is the most troubling roadblock for beginning leaders to hurdle.
It is our conscience that yells out to us and convinces ourselves that if we are not doing “perfectly” what we are imploring others to do, then we have no right to call ourselves a leader. It is easy to go from questioning your leadership role to downright forsaking it when you follow that reasoning. Your guilty heart will win out each time over your attempt to convince yourself that you are a leader.
2 – Thinking that helping people is the same thing as leading them. It is not that we, as disciples of Jesus Christ, don’t have an urge to help other believers to mature, we do! It is in our DNA as Holy Spirit people to know and want others to follow Jesus. If we are followers of Jesus, we will regularly be challenged to pray for someone or help someone through difficult times. Doing good is a hallmark of a believer in Jesus Christ.
But is this the same as leading them and making disciples of Jesus? Well, there is a yes and no answer. Yes, it is helping people by showing them what Jesus would do, so it is leaving an example for them to follow. And No, because leadership implies a relationship that changes the heart and mindset of an individual. It’s so easy to do the good for people, but miss out on the BEST by not investing in the growth of their eternal lives.
3 – We don’t have what it takes to be leaders. We are convincing ourselves that we don’t know how to lead others. In the back of our minds, we are thinking about the model of the local church where there are already “leaders” to shepard us, inform us, correct us and encourage us. If we are under leadership than certainly, we think, we can’t be leading others. Even though we might be taught from the pulpit that we have the mandate to tell others about Christ, we have a tendency to leave the discipling of other others up to the professionals, those that know what they are doing. That is the mindset that keeps us, reluctant leaders.
4 – Forgetting we are unwittingly leading people. As a reluctant leader, we are already leading people around us. As you know, setting an example for others to follow happens if you do or don’t do anything. People around you are always looking. Those that have a teachable heart will be affected just as much from good leadership as from bad leadership. Think of the impact you have on your children and grandchildren when you either actively participate in their lives or inactively participate. If you are a reluctant leader, you are molding the hearts and minds of the young to see a worldview where parents and grandparents are uninterested in their lives.
Somehow we think we will not have to give an account of our actions here on earth. We might be thinking, “Well, I am saved, that is all that is necessary, leave the leading to others.”. Each one will give an account for every idle word spoken. If you are content with knowing Jesus without an urgency of obeying Jesus, you should question whether you know Jesus Christ at all.
If you are exhibiting any of the above reluctant leader tendencies, take heart, there is a solution to the problem. The very first thing is to ask God to see the bigger picture of Himself, you, others and the plan of eternity for believers and unbelievers alike.
Nothing will change in your heart, without a heart to heart with God. This is not just a time of prayer, it is more because you are asking for His wisdom and understanding to see a bigger picture than you have ever seen before. You must see yourself as the best spiritual leader God wants you to be. You must allow that picture to mull around in your head till it begins to grow tentacles of faith in the view you have of yourself. When, by faith, you get a glimpse of the end game God wants you to play, you will find a desire growing inside of you. This desire to serve Him and please Him in the gifts and talents He has given you will wake you up and might, cause you to weep and laugh at the same time.
I can’t stress enough the need to be fully convinced that God has a plan and purpose for your life. That plan always has the component of leading others to a clearer knowledge and understanding of who the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are.
You can do this; you don’t have to be a reluctant leader. You can and will be the leader God commanded you to be.
How to start the leadership process in yourself
You have what it takes to do this. You might doubt yourself at times, but remember, you HAVE WHAT IT TAKES.
Be confident in the confidence God has in you!! He has already given you everything you need in Christ Jesus for you to fulfill your purpose as a leader and disciple here on earth.
Get to it and keep going fellow servant of God,
Daniel
Daniel
January 28, 2016
Leadership