3 Ways to Be a Godly Leader
The Bible offers instruction and guidance for so many situations we face here on Earth. We can find specific directions for things like finances, marriage, and kind communication, but other aspects of this life are not directly spoken to in Scripture. Thankfully, God has given us His Spirit, and we can ask Him to guide us through those gray areas as we continue to look to Him and His Word for wisdom. With this in mind, let's take a look at what we can learn from the Bible concerning leadership.
1. Leaders Love Others.
1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love. John then says that if you don't love, you don't even know God. The two greatest commandments are commandments of love - love God and love others. As believers, loving others is a sign of spiritual maturity. Therefore, it is impossible for a leader to be a representative of the Lord if we do not lead in love. We know from Jesus’ example that perfect love is willing to lay down our lives for another. Hopefully, none of us will ever be faced with the need to lose our life to save someone else’s, but the example reveals to us that love is selfless and is all about others. A loving leader puts the interest of others above themselves.
2. Leaders Invest in Others.
Leaders should invest in their teammates just as Jesus did. A good leader treats everyone with the respect someone deserves who is made in the image of God, which is all of us (Genesis 1:27). To show this respect, a leader must treat their followers as valuable and worthy, seeking to build them up and help guide them to be the best they can be, not tear them down. Although leadership brings it with some authority that is deserving of a sense of respect, we are still biblically obligated to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, including those under our leadership. Who wouldn’t want to follow a leader that is willing to invest time in them to help them grow and achieve their own career goals.
3. Leaders Serve Others.
During the Last Supper, Christ washed the feet of the disciples, leaving His position of authority at the table's head. This act of service showed Jesus' humility and willingness to serve his team. For us, this indicates that no act of service is too lowly to assume. Leaders who follow Christ's example will not be afraid to roll up their sleeves, share the power, and serve those on their team.
The calling God has for leaders is a great one, requiring a higher level of maturity and responsibility than many are willing to assert. The biblical model for leadership is not the typical top-down leadership style that we see in our culture today -- it is a leadership style characterized by serving others. While leadership can be challenging, it comes with great rewards. To be the best leader you can be, make sure to look to the Bible for counsel. There are many places where Jesus, who is King and Lord, showed us by His example how He expects us to serve as His representatives as leaders in the positions He has given to us. His Word never fails us!