Day 40 – Issue 16

Be Still Know

John 3:1 NLT

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.

When young I aspired to be a leader. My motives were very mixed. I saw its influence and profile, which I wanted, without recognising its responsibilities. I had little experience of exercising leadership, neither at school nor in out-of-school activities.

Nicodemus, described as a Jewish leader, was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, the legislative body of the Jews under the Roman occupation. He was significant, one of the 71 most influential Jewish leaders. The nature of influence is best captured by the way we use ‘leader’ to describe a newspaper’s lead article. It provides the editorial view, guiding its readership on how best to think on a matter in the public domain.

Good leadership is best viewed as an office that someone holds for a season. A problem is that it too easily becomes our identity. I certainly preferred occupying a position than exercising the influence I held. Every leader inherits the traditions previous leaders have established. One assumes they have been adopted for the best of reasons. However, it’s a poor leadership that seeks to maintain the past traditions rather than demand of themselves what the present, and most importantly the future, demands of them. Leadership is to set the tone and guide those over whom they exercise leadership in the appropriate direction.

Life has shown me, leadership is best exercised by a mutually accountable group, requires listening beyond that group to those who are led, and demands the courage to take decisions that are future-focused, that are risky and ahead of maintaining past traditions.

QUESTION: What kind of leader are you? How do you exercise leadership responsibilities?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me in the places where you have given me opportunity to lead, at home or at work. Help me do so with humility and grace.