Thursday, May 30, 2013

I Didn’t Choose To Lead. It Chose Me. And Therefore I Choose To Lead.

I always had a certain amount of influence growing up, but I never fought for it or necessarily desired it.  Circumstances just made it happen. 

At the same time, as I read and took the Bible very seriously to heart, it talked of living in a way that you Do not withhold good from those to who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.”[1] And “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”[2] And “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”[3] And “Telling the Good News does not give me any reason for bragging. Telling the Good News is my duty—something I must do. And how terrible it will be for me if I do not tell the Good News. 17 If I preach because it is my own choice, I have a reward. But if I preach and it is not my choice to do so, I am only doing the duty that was given to me.”[4] 

…I couldn’t help but help people. 

I have been given too much.  There is too much I can give, I must give, rather than stay still or self-centered.  It’s not right.  This is how I became a leader. 

Up until this point, I have been a leader by default, not by choice.  I made a choice to make a difference, not an active choice to lead people.  Leading was the product (and a product I’ve hesitantly feared for different reasons).  I chose to not be still and make a difference for God and somehow this has translated into me coming alongside of friends and people who have the same heart.

Only in the last couple of years have I been coming to acknowledge, accept, and own this leadership personally.  I don’t want to go through life being “a leader by default”.  I don’t want to be an apologetic or begrudging leader of false humility.  I want to own who God has created me to be…  A Servant leaders’ leader.

This whole blog came from my reflection as I just finished reading the excerpt below on the choice of leadership in Seth Godin’s book called Tribes: 
Every tribe is different.  Every leader is different.  The very nature of leadership is that you’re not doing what’s been done before.  If you were, you’d be following, not leading.
All I can hope for is that you’ll make a choice. Every leader I’ve ever met has made the choice, and they’ve been glad they did… 
Once your choose to lead, you’ll be under huge pressure to reconsider your choice; to compromise, to dumb it down, or to give up.  Of course you will.  That’s the world’s job: to get you to be quiet and follow.  The status quo is the status quo for a reason. 
But once you choose to lead, you’ll also discover that it’s not so difficult.  That the options available to you seem really clear, and that yes, in fact, you get from here to there.
Go.”[5]

So really, the title of this blog should read,
I Didn’t Choose To Lead.  God Chose Me.  And Therefore I Choose To Lead.
           

Thank you God for the life, opportunities, strength, and calling that you have given to me to make a difference for You and all that is good.


[1] Prov 3:27
[2] Matt 28:19
[3] Eph 4:29
[4] 1 Cor 9:17 NCV
[5] p. 146-147

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