LEADERS ARE FAITHFUL - PART IV

I apologize. I’ve been away for a few weeks – adapting to my new hip – for which I’m intensely grateful. Let me continue …

Thus far I’ve established that faithfulness is a core characteristic of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Therefore, faithfulness is a core, created characteristic of God’s servants, His leaders. God created you to be faithful and to live faithfully. Leaders entrust their life, well-being, and soul to the faithful and true Creator. Consequently, others acknowledge leaders as trustworthy and reliable as they faithfully do their work and good deeds. In the same way, leaders unreservedly view others as worthy of trust and steadfastly rely upon them for the completion of the work.

Faithful leaders lead with their heart, head, hands, honor, hospitality, humbleness, and happiness.

1. Leaders possess confident, compassionate, and courageous hearts. Typically, this is a quiet, yet compelling, confidence in the One who not only created the universe, but fulfills the eternal decrees of the Lord of that universe. Leaders have compassion for the people who were also created in the image of God and possess divinely appointed niches in fulfilling God’s plan. Leaders are courageous – fully engaging every arena of life, personal and professional, with no fear. Like John Wesley, effective leaders possess the confidence that “Until my work is complete I am immortal.” In other words, until the work that you came to earth to do is completed – every tiny detail of that work – God will allow no harm to befall you. Not one thing will interfere with the completion of your divinely appointed work. You know and admire people like this – confident, compassionate, and courageous. Names and faces come to mind, don’t they? What about Mother Teresa?

2. Faithful leaders lead with their heads in rational, reliable, and responsible ways. Because leaders are image bearers of the Creator, they are rational. They have the created capacity to make wise, fair, and sensible decisions. Leaders are reliable. They can be counted upon to be consistent, fair, and reasonable in their decisions and judgments. And leaders not only take and own full responsibility for their work, but are also willing to share this work with others.

3. Faithful leaders lead with their hands. In other words, leaders are action-minded. They are connecting, challenging, and changing the circumstances around them. They do not view themselves as a “victim” of their circumstances, nor do they stand passively on the sidelines wondering, “What just happened?” Life is a contact sport for faithful leaders. Leaders apply their created attributes by entering and engaging every arena of their personal and professional lives. Leaders challenge and confront, boldly at times, every corner of culture for God and for good.

4. Faithful leaders lead with honor. Contrary to the conventional wisdom of today’s culture, leaders do have a moral center. That is, effective leaders have developed a set of principled and ethical core values that direct their personal and professional lives. Therefore, faithful leaders are trustworthy. Leaders are honest; leaders tell the whole truth – all of the time; and leaders are reliable – they do what they said they would do when they said they would do it. Faithful leaders trust others as image bearers of God and, therefore, consider them to be reliable and trustworthy. Or to put it more simply, they have “high” expectations of others.

5. Faithful leaders are hospitable. They are approachable. Their demeanor invites and welcomes the thoughts, ideas, and concerns of others. Simply stated, faithful leaders are easy to talk to. Leaders are attentive, alert, and responsive; they give their undivided attention to others. They actively and attentively listen to what is being said and connect with the communicator. Leaders are amiable, interacting with others in warm, friendly, and light-hearted ways.

6. Faithful leaders are humble. This is not a false humility so often used by some to manipulate others (I actually attended a workshop once where we were coached on how to make others believe we were humble). Rather, there is a genuine inner calmness in leaders. They are “calm, cool, and collected.” Humble leaders have a distinguishing unruffled, serene, tranquil, and composed demeanor. Seldom do they become ruffled and disquieted – not even in their inner-most being. Leaders reveal an inner calmness that calms others in the midst of unsettling situations – often by simply walking into the situation – without having to say or do anything other than just being present.

7. Faithful leaders are happy. Deep inside they are content, satisfied, and at peace regardless of their circumstances. They are not defeated, depressed, nor distraught. Happy leaders are, in fact, comfortable and at peace. They are, truthful, cheerful, joyful, and in good spirits. Consequently, faithful leaders are encouraging. That is, their cheerfulness is contagious. They have the ability to encourage others and lead them out of their defeated mindset into a more positive frame – energizing them to greater work and impact.

You are faithful.

You are a leader.

This is the truth about leadership!

This is the Genesis Principle of Leadership.

Now go out and lead in His image!