Leadership

Been flicking through "Disciplines of a Godly Man" again (i love this book! i reckon every man should read this book at least twice a year, and every woman at least once a year! and vice versa for Disciplines of a Godly Woman), and i turned to the chapter on Leadership today...

At the start of the chapter, Hughes quotes from Warren Bennis (the poet-philosopher-scholar of organisational life),

"Leadership, is a word on everyone's lips. The young attack it and police seek it. Experts claim it and artists spurn it, while scholars want it... bureauceats pretend they have it, politicians wish they did. Everybody agrees that there is less of it than there used to be."

"Leadership is like the Abominable Snowman, whoose footprints are everywhere but he is nowhere to be seen."

This got me thinking... What does a leader look like? What qualities do we look to for inspiration and examples? Who are the leaders around me that I am inspired by and aspire to? How is leadership seen in practise? In relationships?

I've got my team leader and managers at work... no... don't aspire to be like them... I may aspire to their jobs, but I don't see much leadership from them... certainly nothing to inspire me...

What leaders of the modern world? John Howard? Kim Beazley? our politicians??? hmm... sure they may all be leaders of their respective electorates or political parties, but still I don't see any qualities of leadership that I aspire to imitate...

What about leaders in the corporate, financial and investing world? Donald Trump? Richard Branson? Warren Buffett? Bill Gates? Robert Kiyosaki? All perceived to be leaders in their respective industries... but is that just because of their success?? I've read Richard Branson's autobiography... and yes, he is certainly most entrepreneurial and no doubt a very big risk taker and need I say, dare devil... but I don't recall seeing many qualities of leadership... other than his boldness to stand for what he believed in, take initiative and even at times flaunt the law!! again, I can't say that i aspire to be like him... i certainly admire and respect the man, but to aspire to be like him??? hmm... i dunno...

what about the classic leaders of the modern world? you've got Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, Mother Theresa.... etc... All highly respected and revered people in this world... Nelson Mandela... hmm.. now there's an autobiography I'd like to read... So far, he's probably the closest person that i'd say i really look up to and aspire to be like (but let me read his autobiography first)...

hmm.. Bennis' words are sounding truer and truer by the minute... the footprints are all around, but they are nowhere to be seen..

no matter how hard I try, I can't help but always turn back to God's Word and looking at the leaders of His people... Men like Moses, Joshua, David, Peter, Paul, and of course Jesus Christ himself "who is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" (Hebrews 1:3) These are men who have shaped the course of history, who walked with God and who were true leaders of men...

What is it about them that made them great leaders?? Was it their charisma? their devoutness to their cause? their wisdom? it may well be all the above, but the one common characteristic shared by all them was their passion for the people they led... there is no greater example of this than in Christ himself... "who being very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in the appearance of a man, he humbled himself to death - even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:6-8)

Christ's passion was for his people... he "came not to be served, but to serve" (Matt 20:28 & Mark 10:45). As a leader he did not flaunt or abuse and take advantage of his position and authority... rather he showed the example of leadership by his service... (see John 13 where Jesus washes his disciples feet) After he washed their feet he said this,

"You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." (John 13:13-15)

A leader not only displays qualities of leadership, he sets an example for the rest to follow. We are called to imitate Christ. In the words of Paul, "Follow me, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Cor 11:1)...

This leads me to modern day leaders who I can confidently say am I inspired by, and aspire to be like... Men like Don Carson, the Jensen brothers, John Chapman, David Cook, John Piper, Knox, Luther, Spurgeon, Brother Yun (The Heavenly Man), the list goes on and on and on.... all great men of God... I marvel at their understanding of God's word, I stand in awe of their passion for the Gospel, I cower at their discipline, but most of all, I am humbled by their love of God, and their walk with Him... These are men who I seek to follow as they follow the example of Christ...

But above all...

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1-3)

This is what I am inspired by and what I aspire to, and most of all, what I am encouraged by....