Role: Leader

Brad Kelley taught us about our role as a "leader,” part of our 2024 series, “Godly Excellence in a Man’s Roles.”

First, we need to understand the difference between “authority” and “leadership.”  Authority is bestowed, and those granted such authority are not necessarily quality leaders or wise.   Leadership, on the other hand, seeks a relationship with others to influence and guide people to perform at their best. In short, authority is bestowed, while leadership must be earned.

We should seek to be leaders, where we help people to succeed, rather than craving authority, where we wield power to force people to submit to our will for our benefit.     

Leadership, as it is reflected in the bible, represents a form of service to others, and that’s why it is generally referred to as “servant leadership.”   Just as Jesus came to serve and not be served (Matt 20:28), we need to employ the same attitude and behavior in our own leadership.

The world is full of selfish authoritarian leaders.  If we are to exhibit godly excellence in our role as leaders, we need to practice servant leadership as scripture commands (notably in 1 Peter 5:1-3):

• Making those we lead feel safe, because they trust us and know we seek their best.
• Being examples to those we lead, by exhibiting biblical character qualities such as being teachable, quick to hear, slow to speak, open to Godly critique, and forgiving.
• Being relatable to those we lead, rather than being “high and mighty.”
• Seeking the success of those we lead. 
• Being thoughtful and planning well.
• Leading according to the will of God.
• Not seeking our own interest, but instead seeking the interest of those we lead.
• Being sympathetic and understanding of the struggles and difficulties those we lead are facing. 
• Being a learner, including being open to learning from those we lead.
• Not caring who gets the credit for success. 
• Submitting to the authorities we are subject to.