And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. (Luke 12:47-48)
What comes to your mind when you think of leadership? Can anyone be a leader? Are leaders born that way, or are they made by time and circumstance?
While we don’t think about it much, leadership is more than just titles and respect. In God’s view, it is all about accountability, respect, and strengthening of relationships as different people work together to achieve common goals.
In Hebrew, for instance, the word that closely aligns with the concept of leadership in Hebrew is ‘manhigut’, with the word ‘mahnig’ referring to a ‘servant of the LORD’, as the Old Testament refers to people who were used by God. The concept of ‘mahnig’ roughly translates to ‘being consistent’ and ‘treating people’, which both show the concept of guiding them towards the right thing, instead of dominating over them.
When Paul talks about leadership in the New Testament, he repeatedly emphasizes that it is the Holy Spirit who should lead believers in all things – any human representatives are simply carrying out the work that He intends to do. That also means that they understand any action they do in their capacity will be accounted for.
WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES THAT MAKE SOMEONE A GODLY LEADER?
Since leadership and accountability are closely tied, there are characteristics believers should look for when choosing Godly leaders. These include:
DEPENDENCE ON CHRIST
When the Apostle Paul talks of the characteristics of overseers and deacons to Timothy in 1st Timothy 3, all the things he talks about are great; but they cannot be done through human will or strength. The key to developing these traits is to depend on Christ’s power alone, because He set the example for us all by showing the power of humility, being a servant to others, and becoming the greatest by becoming the least.
Jesus says that His mission on earth was to serve others, not to be served. Are you doing the same? Or are you seeking leadership for accolades and vain glory, to be noticed by people? It is worth remembering that God always calls leaders to a higher standard, and He will judge them strictly for the words and actions they have done while in positions of authority.
THEIR CHARACTER
Proverbs 4:23 states that “Keep your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life”. This shows that proof of one’s character is from their hearts, not their actions. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks – and their actions as well.
However, the actions of a person cannot be changed unless it is God who works in them. This is an internal process that only happens when a person is born again and is going through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Always seek whether the person is displaying the fruit of the Spirit, because it is not their giftings that show their salvation, it is their fruit.
THEIR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
We go back to the main point of this article: the importance of stewardship and vision. Proverbs 29:18 states that “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is one who keeps the Law.”
Being a leader involves tough days at times, and taking one for the team when they fail instead of playing blame games. It also involves being a problem-solver, and seeking solutions to issues that arise in a team. However, human beings do not enjoy taking responsibility for failure; a classic example of this is Adam.
When Adam fell and God asked him what had happened, he answered God by saying, “It was the woman you gave to me.” Here he was, with the woman God had entrusted to him to protect and love her, and yet he fails to take responsibility for the failure. God responds by giving him a greater punishment, because he ran away from what he was supposed to do.
Another example of this is Cain. When he disobeys God’s warning about killing Abel, God comes back to him and asks what he has done. His response is the classic deflection: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” In other words, telling God blatantly that he does not care and refuses to take responsibility for his failure, despite him knowing that what he did was evil in the sight of God.
We human beings have a tendency to run away from the problems we face. It takes real courage and confidence in Christ to stand firm and take the fall when those we are entrusted to lead fail – but it is a sacrifice that Jesus taught us by enduring the shame of the cross and dying in our place. He did not run away, even though he had every chance to do so.
THEIR LEVEL OF COMPETENCE
One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is Exodus 31, where God tells Moses about the structure of the tabernacle and how He wanted it to be built. He then says to Moses that He has already chosen two men – Bezalel and Oholiab – to craft the items that were to be used in the tabernacle. He had filled these two men with His Spirit to be master artisans, and their knowledge of stone, metals and wood was to be used in this setting.
What does this tell us about God? When He assigns you to be in a leadership capacity, He empowers you to do the tasks that are ahead of you. You may not see like you offer much to those you are leading, but God has already prepared you, many times without even your knowledge. Every pathway He has put you on, your job, your skills, your gifts, your knowledge – it is all to the glory of God.
Written by
Kui Gathitu❤️❤️❤️
