Leadership lessons from Jesus

Matthew 23 : 1 - 12

.....they do not practice what they preach.......everything they do is done for men to see....whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Out of humility perhaps, not many of us are comfortable being called 'leader', at least not in our churches. In many churches the election committee has a hard time getting people to agree to be nominated for the leadership positions. All in, not many are called to be official leaders but I believe each of us has a sphere of influence, where we do in fact 'lead' others. Jesus' teaching is applicable even though we may not hold official leadership positions.

As a parent, as a Sunday school teacher, as a youth worker...the list goes on....we do 'lead' others. There are always others who need to witness the example of godly obedience in our own lives. Leaders are warned to seek integrity in every part of their lives. As a parent especially, I know how difficult it is for me to practice what I say. My children see many sides of me at home....the impatience, the less than pleasant moods, the times of great joy and everything in between. It may be easy to act well and say the right things in church or office (in order to gain the affirmation of others - for men to see) but it is those at home who would be able to tell whether we truly practice what we 'preach'. Sure, we may not preach sermons but we do often give words of guidance to our children and our students They learn much from our behavior, not only from our words.

I do pay attention to the 'being' of the person who teaches. It is important for me to observe how they conduct their lives. It is as important as the content that is imparted. The information may be impressively presented, but the full impact is lost when the teacher does not practice what he speaks about. I think most of us can sense when someone speaks authentically and when there is a gap between what a person says and what he/she does. There is no need for pretentious posturing, especially with regard to God's Word.

I know that I sometimes behave badly with my children. A prideful cover up or excusing myself will not do. They will see through it easily. The only remedy is to be transparent and admit my mistakes. Official or unofficial leaders, we are all persons in the process of growing into the image of Christ. We earn the respect of others by growing in personal holiness and being honest, ready to admit our mistakes in appropriate ways.