Leaders

Leaders inspire people that is why they are called leaders. It is as simple as that.  No fancy titles, no lofty elitism, stiff respect or futile fawning. Leadership is a quality not a title. It is a living breathing component or characteristic of people who are led by something greater than themselves. In the Bible the greatest leaders were those who loved God and believed Him, people like Joseph, Debra, Nehemiah, Mordecai, and ultimately Jesus Christ.

The word ‘inspiration’ comes from a word meaning 'to breathe in'. When we breathe oxygen into our bodies, it is sent to our cells and when combined with food produces energy which is vital to the activity of the body. Oxygen is an essential ingredient required to keep the body fired up. So is inspiration to the mind.

Inspiration is quite different from authority. Inspiration provides the essential component for action. It stimulates action. Authority is positional and it is the right to control, command or  determine what’s what. Paul was an example of a man who had authority. He was:

 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; (Phil 3:5)

He was a member of the Sanhedrin. He had position upon position. When he came to the realization that it was not what his heart was about, he gave all up and became the true leader of the first century church. God was able to work in him to set down the heart of the mystery as a result of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. The Word of God in the seven church epistles is inspiring to every individual who sees himself in them and wants to help others see all they could be in Christ. He became a man of inspiration and still is today.

In Acts 15 we see a great example of Paul’s leadership characteristics. He just doesn’t back away from standing up for the church that God had established in the grace administration. He boldly communicated his heart in the conflict about circumcision. He communicated with James, the Jerusalem saints and Peter and held the line on what was dragging the newly formed church down in their thinking and in their exercising of positional authority rather than the heart of the mystery.

Jesus Christ’s life was an inspiration. He trained the twelve, he sent them out, he sent out the seventy. He taught and led, and sent. His first Words to Peter and Andrew were “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Following and leading go hand in hand and are mutually dependent on each other as they interchange according to the circumstances. All of us are leaders in some form or another, be it as, friends moms, dads, husbands, wives, or workers in any capacity of life.

I love the quote John Quincy Adams quote,  “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.
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