There is no greater privilege than to be called into a position of leadership, especially when we respond to a God-given mandate to serve Jesus Christ and serve others through Him. However, there is also nothing that may require more of us than this same call.
When God calls us into leadership, He doesn't only give us perks. In fact, Jesus echoes over and over again that when we get to be a leader in His kingdom He will most likely ask us to say no to the benefits and perks that come along with position.
Jesus says in Matthew 19:30, "But many who are first will be last, and the last first." He then re-echoes in Matthew 20:16, "So the last will be first, and the first last." I don't know how many times Jesus might have told His up-and-coming leaders and apostles how they must deny themselves the perks.
In the eyes of Jesus, leadership is not about glory, recognition or fame. It is about denying the self, serving others whole-heartedly, taking up our crosses, and a whole lot of other demanding qualifications. How are we -- as human beings with needs ourselves -- going to lead so effectively?
Sure, leadership means stewardship of our own lives and bodies, but God undeniably calls us as leaders to higher sacrifices and higher qualifications. This doesn't only apply to ministry leadership, but even to corporate, community, government and even home leadership. If left to ourselves, we will never make the cut in becoming the leaders that God calls and demands us to be.
But truth be told, Jesus never demands this of us. He only demands it of himself. This is a concept that not many of us understand right away, but the more that we see that our leadership role is not about what we can do, but what Christ has already done to and through us, we will see just how simple it is to qualify for leadership.
That's not to say that as leaders we can now slack off and let Jesus do all the heavy lifting. But as we become Christ-centered and Spirit-filled leaders, we begin to see God empower the works of our hands and give us supernatural wisdom, power, strength, provision and guidance that we would not see if we simply depended on our own abilities.
God does not look to our financial, educational or family background to determine whether we will be good leaders or not -- although these things could be great supplements. Leadership is primarily a role that God calls us into and that Jesus qualifies us for. It is Jesus who holds our character, strengthens our frame, makes us effective and gives us the heart to serve and love others.
