Many of our ideas regarding human nature, motivation and leadership they come from the world. Sometimes the secular business world operates on the assumptions that "the leaders can not trust their subordinates to do what they should do, "and what" if we trust too much in people, they will take advantage of one. " What's more, leaders can believe that
People do what you want them to do only if they are motivated by a "prize" or if they feel threatened by punishment. The result of these assumptions is that leaders receive authority based purely on the position they hold or on the power of their personality.
Authority to Lead Comes from God
The centurion in Luke 7: 1-10 had under his authority 100 Roman soldiers. However, he described himself first not as the leader of many, but as a "man under authority." He seems to understand that although he was a leader, he was not free to lead as he liked.
God has established legitimate authority in a variety of institutions such as civil government (Rom 13: 1-7, 1 Peter 2: 13-17), the family (Exodus 20:12, Eph 5: 22-23). , 6: 1-4) and the church (Heb 13:17). Like the centurion, no leader maintains absolute authority with his leadership position. There is only One who is sovereign, for all who exercise leadership must always submit to Him. He works through those whom He places in leadership for His purpose (Prov 21: 1). Jesus Christ modeled this point in the way He conducted His earthly ministry (Jn 8: 28-29).
With this in mind, we can understand that the best leaders are good followers (of their Lord Jesus Christ). Nobody is free to lead the way they want. In fact, Christian leaders are not leaders by their own choice; but they are chosen or called by God (Jn 15:16). The great Christian leaders know that they have the great responsibility to guide as God directs, and that is why they strive to follow God and let Him guide them. Instead of depending on their position, personality or power, they depend on God, the source of all authority.
The Christian Leader is a Humble Servant
A leader is a servant. Serving should characterize everything the leader says and does. There is nothing more deadly to the leader than the opposite of serving - pride. Pride not only causes barriers between leaders and followers, but it is also one of the things that God hates (Proverbs 6: 16-17). The Christian leader is not a dictator but a servant. Looking for a leadership position to satisfy the personal ego or to exercise personal authority is contrary to the concept
Biblical of the servant-leader (Phil 2: 1-8).
Jesus Christ made it clear that leadership should not be to serve oneself (Matthew 20:28, John 13: 1-16). Once in Jesus' ministry he says that He was doing something to set an example for His disciples and that was when He humbly served them to wash their feet (Jn 13:15). Although many worldly leaders use intimidation or a sense of superiority to make their subordinates submit, such things should never be characteristic of a Christian leader.
Some Christian leaders begin humbly, but after a little success in ministry, they develop a subtle pride or sense of status. But the apostle Paul grew in humility during the course of his ministry. Notice how early in his ministry he describes himself as "the least of the apostles" (1Cor 15: 9). Then, in his letter to the Ephesians, he is called "the least of the least of all the saints" (Eph 3: 8). In the last phase of his life he is described as "the first of sinners" (I Tim 1:15).
I thank God because in starting from its founder
to each of his apostles and now our leader
together with our apostle
are an example of humility.