Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Leadership isn't Loud


There has always seemed to be a bias about leaders being loud, boisterous people who can make beautiful public speeches and order people around.
In fact, I avoided leadership roles just because of this misconception I had throughout high school and college. It wasn't until I worked at Portage Lake Bible Camp that I learned I am a leader, no matter what I thought.
I recall a morning where we ran a large group game time for kids while parents were attending chapel services. Since I was a director (of ropes), it seemed like everyone on staff was looking to me to tell the 50-some kids what to do. I don't have a loud voice - let's just put that out there now, so as you can imagine, calling out to that many kids under the age of 13 was interesting. Luckily, other staff saw I wasn't overly comfortable or gifted in this form of leadership. So I suggested games, they explained it to the kids.
The other aspects of my job that summer though, worked wonderfully. I could lead smaller groups at their level and gave expectations for the staff I oversaw, all without ever raising a voice or putting on the "holier than thou" personality.
I look back on the summers I counseled and directed and see that I was indeed a leader, whether I recognized that at the moment or not. I think the instant you make the decision to follow Christ, and people know you are a Christian, you become a leader, whether you like it or not. Though it doesn't seem fair, your every move is judged. People watch you. It's not always that they are waiting for you to do something wrong as a Christ follower, but they will know it if you do.
Everyone you encounter will use you to add to their opinion of Christianity and Jesus. Everything you say, do, how you treat people, whether you "say" you're a Christian but do nothing to prove it - it is all judged.
So my question for you is this: How are you portraying Jesus to those around you? Maybe you're a teenager who talks back to your parents when you're home, but puts on the angel glow in public. Perhaps you tell everyone that you believe in Jesus, but proceed past the need for food in a local food pantry. Or maybe you gave your life to Jesus back when there was that huge, emotional moment in your life because it felt like the right thing to do, but now you sit around, waiting for another huge moment when God will show up. Who ever said He needs to show up? "Seek and YOU will find." Rather than talking about it, are you doing it? 
Moses couldn't speak well, yet he was one of the most influential leaders in the Bible. Jesus preached to the masses, but He served with humility. You don't have to be a sound speaker or a pushy person to be a leader. Being an example and serving make great leaders. Christ-followers are to be Jesus to those around them. What are you being?


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