|
|
 |
|
You should know there's a new slj site! Check it out |
| ||||
     |
 I have a small ad from a magazine hanging in my office at home. It shows a teenage boy doing a handstand on the grass. Behind him is a grade school boy doing a nice somersault. And behind him is a little guy with his bottom up in the air, trying to get his body over the hump. Below is the caption, "When you're out in front and others follow, that's leadership!" 
Leaders are those who have followers. Even if you're not the
"designated" leader and others follow, you are still
leading. Being a leader is not about a title or a position.
It's about influencing and modeling. Leaders influence
discipleship, and that's why being a godly leader is
important.
Any leader, even unintentional ones, can lead in directions
that either help or hinder others in their daily journeys
toward Jesus. We never quite know who is watching. So the
most important transactions for us are those of the heart--
our own discipleship and character.
Recently while on an airplane, I watched a politician I
recognized care humbly and gently for an older person on the
flight. That politician didn't know I was watching. He
didn't know that he was being a leader at that moment. But
his acts of kindness have already had implications in my
life.
I also watched recently as a student in a chapter, who
obviously had leadership gifts, turned the whole fellowship
in a negative direction because of his personal bitterness
toward another person. He didn't see any immediate effects
of his little cynical, critical comments, but the character
of the whole group changed over time.
This is why working at leadership is not the first step in
becoming a leader. Following Jesus is. Jesus was clear about
our inner life: "What comes out of the mouth proceeds from
the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart
come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft,
false witness, slander" (Matthew 15:18-19).
The Pharisees, by neglecting the internal issues, often led
people away from God rather than towards him. That can also
be true for us: bitterness of heart, jealousy, lack of love,
unforgiveness, judgmentalism, pride, or anger--these and
more will inevitably come out of our mouths or be reflected
in our actions. And these will become far more evident in
our leadership than our well-crafted plans.
Steve Hayner, president of InterVarsity®'s national movement.
Related Articles: |
|||
 |
for educational purposes provided this permission notice, and the copyright notice below are preserved on all copies. Not to be reprinted in any other publication without permission. © 1997 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship of the USA. All rights reserved. We'd love to hear from you. Questions about the website? Contact  Member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students
|
