When we read scripture we find certain people who are just naturally wired to be leaders, whether for good or not. This is something that has fascinated me and I want to just look at a few of these men who lead men for Jesus.
God tends to make leaders when they are the most broken and opening themselves up to His mercy because they are so busted up.
I love Paul, I like to read the letters that he writes to people who know and trust him. His words of encouragement and rebuke are some of the most in-depth writings ever written. He displays the attributes of a Godly leader in how he stand up for what is right and just which is of Jesus and the cross. He is not afraid to get in a tussle with people who have authority and will fight back. He is even unafraid to correct those who he respects as being above him in apostleship. He walks the walk and talks the talk of the gospel.
The Bible also illustrated for its readers how Paul became such a man and it shows a glimpse of how he was prior to God gaining a hold on his life.
One very important attribute that is absolutely crucial to good leadership as described by the Bible is humility. When we start in Acts 9 Paul is not yet who is going to be. He is Saul, a man who is like a 1st century, Jewish, James Bond running all of the place taking out Christians in the name of God.
Paul was built from the start as a leader. We know this from Acts 9, it says that when he was on the road to Damascus with his new license to kill ( aka a letter to the synagogue 9:2), that he had men with him (Acts 9:7). Paul is already a leader in the most basic sense which is that men will follow him.
So this moment is the climax of Saul who is very soon to become Paul’s life. He is given all kinds of authority to do what needs to be done according to the Jewish authorities of that time and he is at a high point of his pride and self reliance. This is where he changed from becoming an empty ring leader of a pack of thugs to a discipler and a teacher of the faith. But before he can become this “chosen instrument”, he must first be humbled. (Acts 9: 3-6)
Paul sees a vision of Jesus Christ after his death, burial, resurrection and ascension that is unique to him alone in this way. Paul is put in such a position where he just became the lowest guy on the totem pole rather than the boss. He is physically put onto the ground and told to follow order and told to “ enter the city and you will be told what you are to do”. He must first be broken before he is of any use. This is the starting point of Paul’s long life of preaching about God’s mercy for the humble and also His just wrath towards our unrepentant selves.
King David, the King of a nation that was hand chosen by God himself to triumph and fail based upon their adherence to His law and what he wants them to do.
When at the end of his life when he has conquered nations, been conquered ( by his own son) and been restored, after he has felt so far away from God’s good side that he wrote “ O Lord do not rebuke me on your anger nor discipline me in your wrath. For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me”, (Psalm 38: 1-2) and has also felt co close to God in a personal relationship that he wrote “Commit your way to the LORD: trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as a light.” (Psalm 37: 5-6)
Nearing the end of his life when he has seen the hand of God so clearly working in and around his life he remains humble.
1 Kings 1:47 “Moreover, the king's servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, 'May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.' And the king bowed himself on the bed”.
Even at the end his gives over his authority over the people of Israel in a quiet and humble manor. He does it willingly and not begrudgingly.
The recognition that all authority and all responsibilities we have been given come from God is a crucial element of any form of ministry, because He wants it back. That why he gave it to us.
John 3:30 " He must increase, but I must decrease".
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