Leadership is a powerful word. I am sure we can all think of ways that leadership has been carried out well, and ways in which it has been manipulated.
Leadership is no small thing.
The one aspect about leadership that is most forgotten is that leadership is about leading.
Leaders crave influence the most. They desire for their words to have weight; they want to know that what they offer has value.
Leaders are drawn to stepping up into directing roles. Leaders are often enabling situations to offer into.
Leadership requires the character traits of humility, wisdom, compassion, and integrity. I also believe that leadership requires the character trait of open handed leading.
John the Baptist is my hero when it comes to mastering this balance of leadership. He is always my go-to guy when I need a reminder of how open-handed leadership is done well.
What is open-handed leadership?
It is the ability to hold loosely to the ones you are leading. No one is a possession. No one is “ours.”
John the Baptist always made it clear that he was not the Christ. He was so great at directing everyone’s attention and reverence to Jesus. John freely confessed that he was not the Christ.
Do we?
There was even a time where John’s disciples were ranting to him that Jesus, and his disciples, were baptizing more than they were. The people were going out to Jesus instead. John responds by saying that they should. John reminds them that he is not the Jesus.
John came to lead the way to Jesus. This is the same truth for our lives as well.
I am hugely passionate about leadership. I am always drawn to the leadership role. I love soaking up knowledge that pertains to leadership. I will most often step up and pursue the directing role as well.
There is a tension and a balance that needs to be mastered when it comes to leadership. I always need to ask myself the question of, “where am I leading to?” Leaders most often struggle when it comes to the direction of leadership.
I confess to my own human flaws of struggling with the balance of leadership. I love influencing. I love offering. Sometimes I can forget to keep the focus off of me and on the one I am leading for.
I still struggle with jealousy when it comes to leading. I have also been the one ranting to God that more people are going to him than me. That’s just honest. I struggle with fears of having nothing to offer. I struggle with the fears of not being liked, and being made to feel foolish. These are some of my weaknesses wrapped around my love of leadership.
I have been learning a lot from John about the character and value of leading with open hands.
Leadership is about leading well towards him.
So allow me to ask you…where are you leading others to?
This post has been rolling around a little in my head since yesterday. Both times I read it, it has made me uncomfortable. I think that is because I am the opposite. I’ve never been drawn to leadership. In fact, when I volunteered to lead a high school girls Sunday School class last fall, I thought I was going to make myself pass out. The thought of being out in front with all eyes on me makes me nauseous. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I decided NOT to do my student teaching after four years of college. Good thing I minored in education and majored in something else. I’ve always seen myself in a supportive role, probably because that is where I am most comfortable. I have learned a lot about God and theology and faith, and am constantly learning more. Lately, though, I have sensed (I’m not going to use the word “call” yet) that I am supposed to pass along to others the knowledge God has given to me, not just let it sit in my head and go to waste. So, I am wrestling with what else I am supposed to be doing, and getting petrified that I keep coming back to feeling like I am supposed to lead an ADULT class of some sort. And it’s terrifying. LOL
SO FUN! Love when we get those little nudges in our lives. You have so much to offer others! Of course God wants to use you to talk about Him in the hard. You know it’s Him when the task feels way bigger than ourselves. So excited for you!
Thanks, Tracee! You’re such a good encourager. :)