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April 27, 2009
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Reluctant Leadership?, by Mike Barres
After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent
them two by two before His face into every city and place where He
Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, "The harvest truly
is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the
harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (Luke 10:1-2 NKJV).
The need is great in the time in which we find ourselves. The message
of hope in Jesus Christ is our only answer. And as the scripture quoted
above describes, we need far more laborers to go out and do the
Father's work. And we need leaders to help make that happen. But,
leaders are in short supply!
Moses appointed leaders. King David appointed leaders. The Church at
Jerusalem had leaders. The books of 1 Timothy and Titus talk about the
qualifications of leaders. In fact, any time in scripture that there
are groups of people, we also find a great need for leaders to
coordinate, encourage and give direction to those people. Many folks,
in every era including today, have been reluctant to lead.
Guess what? These reluctant leaders are in good company.
God is not just looking at our ability, but also at our availability.
Gideon felt that he lacked what was needed to be a leader. Moses
mentioned his weaknesses and his poor public speaking along with his
doubt about his leadership potential. Saul tried to hide. Samuel nearly
overlooked King David.
There seems to be a leadership shortage today. This is not new, either.
Paul mentions this problem in describing Timothy as his son in the
faith:
I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I
also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one
like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek
their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus (Philippians
2:19-21).
God is not just looking at our ability, but also at our availability.
If we walk in humility before God, trusting in His power to help and
sustain us, He can use us. The best kind of leader is a servant leader,
one who really cares about others as the Lord does. Sometimes others
see leadership potential in us and we don't see it. So if someone asks
you to lead, in a task great or small, prayerfully consider it. The
need is great. We don't want to self-appoint ourselves to leadership,
but we should all have a willingness to do whatever the Lord wants us
to do. If we follow His lead, He can use us to lead!
---------
(c) 2009 Mike Barres <mbarres@dnet.net>.
RELATED LINKS:
* The Leadership Issue
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200701/20070111_leadershipissue.html
* I Wish I Had the Words!
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200112/20011204_words.html
* What is Leadership?
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200005/20000502_leadership.html
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200904/20090427_reluctant.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
NEXT DOOR SAVIOR, by Max Lucado
Master storyteller Lucado presents the stunning contrasts of Jesus--his
irresistible humanity and undeniable deity.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?222
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