Are you responsible for leading people? Do you have a heart to see others reach their full potential? Is there a cause on your heart that drives your every day? You are a leader, my friend. And how you handle that role means everything to those you lead.

In I Kings 12, Rehoboam inherited his father’s throne. He was approached by his people with a simple request to lighten the load of work. They were willing to serve Rehoboam, but the workload was unreasonable.

Rehoboam could have used his authority here to empower his people, but instead, he dominated them and spoke very harsh words. In the end, the Kingdom of Israel was divided.

As a leader, you have the influence to either empower or dominate those who follow you. It doesn’t mean you must compromise your goals to match everyone’s preference. It does mean you lead with compassion. To be a great leader, you must adopt these two realities:

1. A driving passion for a certain cause
2. Accomplishing it through real people (with feelings, limitations, insecurities, etc)

If you’re all about the cause and lead without compassion, you will dominate and alienate those who follow you. They will leave you. If you are all about the people and have no driving passion, you will simply have a social club.

You must have a cause that burns in your heart and yet lead in such a way that empowers others to accomplish it with you.

How do I empower, you may ask?

More to come…

I don’t think about pleasing God enough. In my day to day busyness you know who I’m more concerned about pleasing? People. You mind if I get a little vulnerable today? I am more concerned about maintaining other’s opinions of me than radically living for God’s attention. As long as people are talking about me, like me, and are blessed by me, I feel good.

Do I pursue the pleasure of God in the same way?

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

That is a convicting verse. If you are like me, here are some questions I am asking today. I pray they are a help to you as well.

• Am I spending personal, alone time with Jesus apart from the crowds?
• Am I directly applying Scripture to my life on a daily basis?
• Am I just blogging/facebooking my thoughts or truly internalizing God’s Word to me?
• Do I live more self-aware or more God-aware?
• Do I pray consistently? Or are my dreams too small where I can just ‘get them done’?
• Am I asking God to make me aware of the lost every time I step outside my front door?
• Does my life reflect a passion for Jesus Christ above all other things?

Would you add any others?

Just read this great post by Pastor Steven Furtick:

“If my generation isn’t careful, we may fall into a Guitar Hero mentality toward ministry:
Everybody wants to be a rock star, but no one wants to learn the chords.

It’s hard work to study God’s Word.  To pray for breakthrough.  To do spiritual battle on behalf of those we lead.  To charge forward in faith for the cause of Christ.  To run a church with the highest standard of excellence.

Aspiring ministers:
Be willing to pay the price.  Or please go do something else with your life.”

There is a powerful passage in II Timothy that outlines the characteristics of Paul’s leadership. I want to lead and live this way. God help me.

“You, however, have followed:

• my teaching
• my conduct
• my aim in life (i love this!)
• my faith
• my patience
• my love
• my steadfastness
• my persecutions and sufferings…” (II Timothy 3:10-11a).

Can you say this about those you are leading? Are you living a life worth exemplifying?

As I look at my generation, I see a lot of dissatisfaction. People longing for the next thing. The next job will be better. The right person will make life better. If my week stinks, at least Friday night will be a good time.

I see this in my own heart as well. Too often I feel like a wanderer, becoming the victim of my present circumstance. Now, there is an ebb and flow to life. True, life can be hard, boring, exhilarating, fun, and stupid. However, as Christians, we need to have constancy.

What is it about you that stays the same no matter what circumstance you find yourself? What daily disciplines do you practice in order maintain constancy? I don’t know how long I could live if I just let circumstances carry me. I long for my relationship with Jesus to be constant. I long for my diet of God’s Word to be constant. I long for a positive outlook and attitude to be constant. I want my love for people and my heart for the lost to be constant.

Why?

Because Jesus alive. He is real. I am His. My joy and meaning is anchored in His reality and His love for me. Constancy is not based on feeling, but on truth.

How about you?