becoming a Christ-like leader
Leadership isn’t just for the bubbly, loud and exuberant peeps on the block. It’s not a one-size-fits-all position. If you’re a child of God, you’ve been called higher. Sure, your life will look different than the gal down the street, but your Father has given you the biggest purpose in the world.
As I continue on with this ministry, God continues to emphasize the importance of leading with a Christ-like heart and a Christ-like model. Every day, I am confronted with the fact that we have all been given some sort of leadership in this life. And there’s nothing more rewarding… life giving… or eternally significant than leading our lives for the Lord.
This encouragement is for you — YES YOU. You don’t have to have a blog, online presence or even have any sort of degree to be a Christ-like leader. All your Father wants from you is your heart — He wants your life, your affection, your submission and your obedience. Do you have a heart for Jesus? Then He will equip you to lead in whatever lot He has given you in life.
Let’s dive into a few character qualities of a Christ-like leader. Come along with me and let’s look at an incredible example of an influential leader as our inspiration to LEAD…
A Christ like leader is…
Full of courage
Cool story time. Acts 27 starts with Paul and a raging sea as the main protagonists. Acts 27:22-23 shows us how much courage the apostle Paul had in the Lord. Not only was he willing to be sent wherever the Lord wanted, he had enough “holy courage” to stand in the middle of a storm and say, “Take heart.”
One of the most beautiful things about Paul’s life is his courage. He boldly faced crowds that wanted to kill him and did the Lord’s work until officers threw him in jail.
But he wasn’t able to live life with his own dose of courage. He depended on the Spirit to give him what he lacked — what he needed more of. Most of all, he trusted that God could sustain him and give him the bravery to face whoever and whatever.
An undeniable mark of a Christ-like leader is one who is courageous and brave. I’m not saying you have to ship yourself off to a third world country and throw yourself into war to be courageous. But a Christ-like leader is unashamed of proclaiming Christ and doing His bidding. Although she may be scared at times, she relies on the Lord to give her courage. She is courageous and bold because she knows WHO is on her side. She does not shy away from an opportunity to share Jesus or boldly follow His plan for her life — even if it’s terrifying.
Humble
Paul had every reason to boast and brag. He was born into a superior family. He was a smart cookie. He was well trained. But after encountering Jesus, he realized this: Humility needed to be one of the most obvious defining characteristics of a believer (Acts 20:18-21).
Seeking the glory for ourselves seems like a nice idea… at first. But when we’ve truly come face to face to what Jesus sacrificed for us — we can never be the same. We have no right to look at life as our story, but His story that He’s generously invited us to be a part of.
Leading with a humble heart means putting service to others above service to yourself. It means being willing to put your agenda aside and chase after the greatest agenda of all time — God’s. It’s about highlighting God’s story and expelling selfishness from the equation. It’s about leading a life that does every little thing to scream, “Jesus”. It’s about knowing we’re valued in Christ, but highlighting God’s goodness overall.
One who always hopes
Something that always struck me about Paul’s life was the unswerving hope that he had in Christ. Even after suffering loss, shipwrecks and imprisonments — Paul still clung to hope. There was still an eternal goal worth fighting for and he rested every ounce of his mission on that hope (Philippians 3:12).
A great leader is one who dares to hope. One who keeps their eyes fixed on their hope daily, even when things don't go well. Even when a relationship is on the rocks. Even when their circumstances are less than pleasant. This hope should be our driving force in life, knowing that we have a Father waiting to call us home. A Christ-like leader should infuse that hope into their hearts and let it overflow into their interactions with others. Their hope in Jesus, their salvation and His goodness should overflow into every conversation. This hope keeps a child of God going — it keeps them settled in the fact that their work is not in vain. It’s extremely worth it.
