What was one of the best bits of advice ever given to me was when I was a drum major for my high school band? It was given to me by my band director during the summer of band camp, and unknowingly it was a biblical principle, was to lead by example. A real leader isn't someone who just give orders. A real leader doesn't boss people around. A real leader doesn't brag how much they've done. A real leader doesn’t give only their personal vision or their plans and expects people to fulfill the leader’s whims. And a real leader doesn't humiliate, defeat, or destroy others (followers and others) to eliminate any other leaders and certainly destroy others from being inspired to do or be their best. The advice: lead by example. Get in there and do (or serve). This then reminds me of the advice given to me by a former employer: hire people smarter than you. A great leader sees or inspires greatness from others by fostering their skills or abilities and allows others to do their best. A real leader creates the atmosphere and provides opportunity. A real leader will naturally rise to the occasion. And even if they are not a leader, they will still be fruitful in what they do with a passion and loyalty to follow their leader. In this, everyone comes out as a winner. This, again, is a biblical principle. Another bit of advice given was a rebuke by another former employer. He took another new hire and me (also a new hire) outside to tell him who's name is on the sign. Lesson? A couple of lessons: take ownership of your mistakes and realize you serve the leader, not the leader serve you. What I mean is that I was hired to do one thing and not to do my own thing and eventually get to whatever it is that I was supposed to do. Eventually this takes a person into a direction of maturity and responsibility. Which was made apparent with my last employer when I was chewed out (and rightly so) because I was doing personal stuff during company time. My reasoning? It was for the church (or God). Little did I realize that my testimony is not just doing church things all the time, but being a Christian all the time beyond church stuff (see Colossians 3:22-24, Ephesians 6:5-8, 1 Peter 2:18, and Titus 2:9-10) is where Christianity and/or a relationship with Jesus is proven.
Generally speaking there are four kinds of people: leaders, followers, those who don't care, and those who never should be a leader. Some very tragic words spoken in the book of Judges more than once were, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6 and 21:25). What is a shame is when followers need a good leader and to discover what is available to them? Judges 9:7-15 shares a metaphor for a nation who desires for good leadership and yet has to accept and settle with a really horrible leader. Jesus chastens His hearers (targeting the Pharisees and Sadducees) and then brings in the healing with His words found in Matthew 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Even earlier in His ministry, Jesus challenged those who lead (as a shepherd or under shepherd versus a hireling) that they have to be careful because a true shepherd lays down their life while a hireling enjoys the title, the benefits, the eyes and attention but truthfully is only concerned about his personal needs. Poor leadership, in Jesus’ words, who lead followers astray should suffer a humiliating death. Jesus said (Luke 17:2), “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones”. Jesus wasn’t talking about youths or children, although that is applicable as well. He was talking about leaders who mislead, misinterpret scriptures, and poorly lead by example and word which causes young Christians to question things and pull back or backslide from their salvation because they see a “leader” serving as a poor example. Years ago I remember hearing Pastor Rubi comment about his pastor, Pastor Harold Warner, who uses a measuring stick when he makes decisions: how will this (decision/choice/action/reaction) affect my men. That is wisdom. And so Israel cries out for a king just like the people of the land and God—through His mercy but also as a learning lesson—grants them a king. And King Saul led people. Even among Jesus’ disciples, a few of the men argued amongst themselves who was the greatest (or who was the best leader, second in command, etc.).
There is a desire within many people—more so with men, and I will write with men in mind—to be of elevated position. To accomplish something and attain a reputation or at least an epitaph, here lays a great man, is a man’s desire. Even the late Pastor Wayman Mitchell discovered this at a very poorly-attended funeral of a deceased man who had no one there to pay respects or at least “remember the man”. William Shakespeare said, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” A quote that I heard from Pastor Richard Rubi many years ago and I recently rediscovered by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.” Vincent Van Gogh said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” What is disappointing is that many men whom we call “leader” are not leaders but managers. Years ago I discovered what sets apart a leader versus a manager (and I used as a measuring stick for what I do as a business owner and has spilled over into other areas of my life). Managers, in summary, are more autocratic authoritarian in their approach. They tell people what to do, they assign and delegate tasks, and instruct people how to complete them. Managers want things done through process and room for creativity is thrown out the window. They are task oriented to accomplish goals by people being a tool or process to get things done. Once the task/s is/are over, back in the box so to speak they go until the next task. Leaders, on the other hand, take a more abstract and qualitative approach. Leadership is about making others feel safe. They take many things into consideration with and when making decisions. Creativity and loyalty thrive. Everyone is an equal—despite obvious skills, talents, means, or methods (reference points)—and so ideas can freely flow. A goal is accomplished, but it is less important about who gets the credit so long as the team as a whole wins and the goal is accomplished.
And this leadership—and a specific person in the Bible with what was said of him—is what began this whole thought (and writing). The tribes of Israel declared unto David (in 2 Samuel 5:2), “Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the LORD said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’” Sounds poetic but if we are not careful, we will miss something critical. In 1 Samuel 9, Saul was to be anointed as commander. It was even prophesied about Saul in 1 Samul 8 concerning the kind of king that the people will have Saul will take and lead but not be a giver. And when pressed against the wall, he will react the way the people wanted versus how God wants. But the people called David a shepherd (going back to 2 Samuel 5:2). Jesus continues this vein by declaring that a good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A good leader is someone who not only leads but also is a good follower (see Matthew 8:9). A good leader humbles himself before his followers to serve among them or to even serve them (see John 13:4-5). Further a leader can surrender power and authority to serve which compliments the above about the character of a leader versus a manager (see Matthew 20:25-28). A leader is willing to risk even if it could mean being viewed poorly by those whose hearts are cold (see Matthew 8:2-3 and Matthew 9:10-13). And a leader knows when to speak, not just wisdom, but with anointing and authority and when to be silent (Matthew 27:12-14 and John 19:10-11). And there are other traits that can be listed. Pastor Rubi also did a fabulous, fabulous men’s discipleship class message years ago concerning Calling (note the upper-case C denoting Calling to pastoral ministry, also meaning five-fold ministry). Leaders—whom God has Called—will exhibit certain traits that come naturally (and God given versus or better than human traits). And he directly also declared that there are men he knows who have no business being a pastor (even in the Fellowship). Meaning there are people who are gracefully and graciously given a chance when there is no evidence of Calling with hopes that maybe it will be discovered one way or another. This is commendable to be gracious to be afforded this opportunity and I submit that that also is a trait of a good leader. Pastor Greg Mitchell to piggy-back on his father’s wisdom declared in sermons but more so in a book titled Still Taking the Land that there are other qualities that exist to whom God has chosen and can effectively lead versus someone who likes to give orders and preach/teach with fingers pointed.
So, the all-important question to all this is why say this? Have there been bad leaders and I (personally) wish to address them? Have there been people who were managers more than a leader? Out of pride, arrogance, and ego do I elevate myself to one of a level of authority to then have opportunity to point a finger while drawing lines in the sand which distinguish me from others? In complete honesty, two things—and both are Bible verses—tie in the idea of why David (as an aspiration for people to emulate) was called a shepherd are John 10:11 (“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”) and Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 11:28 (“besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.”). When William Booth desired to send out a message to encourage the leaders throughout the world in his organization with a telegram and due to the exorbitant cost, he afforded a singular word: others. Paul continues this thought by saying (in Philippians 2:3-4), “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Although wonderful advice and wisdom for everyone, but Paul was more so dealing with the leaders of the church with that. Paul knew that if the leaders behaved and lived/led a certain way, the church will naturally not only follow but to do the same thing amongst themselves and to the lost.
And this so runs cross-grained in our modern church theology where songs and preaching are about God satisfying our needs because God isn’t angry at us and wants to lavish us. God does love us. God gave Himself (in His Son Jesus) while we were enemies of God. And as John said that we can be called children of God (1 John 3:1). Sadly we ignore what John continues to say in 1 John 3:3 to summarize that we need to repent/be saved (or to be purified). Just like we all have scrolled on our walls Jeremiah 29:11 but the only way that promise comes is when we live verses 12 and 13. Modern theology is a humanistic approach for God to do more than grant us salvation but to give us power, money, etc. etc. etc…including peace and health. And when something lacks or is absent, we point fingers at God with accusation and blame.
And it is this area of cognitive dissonance that takes us all the way back to the Garden and what happened between Cain and Abel. "We can be like God" is what was promised by Satan and Cain threw bitterness into God’s face with “am I my brother’s keeper” (no concern for others). And because Adam behaved like a manager by shifting blame by not taking the hit and by doing things his way with fig leaves, God led by restoring relationship (to as best as it could be) and clothed Adam and Eve (thus shame being uncovered or poorly covered) with animal skins to show sacrifice, love, and redemption. And this is where and why the question ought to be asked—father, husband, mother, teacher, leader, pastor, boss, owner, etc.—am I a manager or am I a leader?