This year my One Word is “Plan”. I prayed and meditated for the right word to focus on for 2015. I wanted a word that would help me further develop spiritually. The word Plan doesn’t sound spiritual, but I’m keeping the word and it is with excitement and curiosity that I actively wait to see how it unfolds in my life throughout the year. What God has in store for me I do not know, but I do know what my goals are, and all I can do is live my life in a manner that will cause the two to synchronize.

For the past several months I’ve had to deal with a Christian leader who is not yet in his mid 20’s. He has taken on a very difficult and serious role that affects the lives of hundreds of people each day. He was thrust into a role that he was not skilled, trained, or well prepared to manage; as a result of this, many have been negatively effected.  Despite being offered help and assistance from those with much more experience and applicable skills, this leader has opted to allow pride and arrogance to be his right-hand man and mentor.

As Christians it’s important to be humble enough to admit when we’ve taken on more than we can handle. There is nothing wrong with saying the words, “please help me” or “I have failed”. Pride takes away our ability to see ourselves as flawed human beings in need of correction and guidance. It creates the inability to admit to being in the wrong, and eventually the prideful person will spend more time pointing out the flaws of those he is leading and spend less time in necessary self-reflection. A leader who can’t bring himself to engage in critical self-reflection can easily develop a dictator style of leadership or the opposite, that of being a leader who has a blatant disregard for the needs and concerns of those he is leading.

 

With God, timing is everything. Your time to be a leader may not be now, it might be a month, a year, or over a decade from today. Leadership is not something God takes lightly, He wants us to be patient and wait our turn. As we wait peacefully be assured that our time is never wasted (Psalm 37); God has assured us of this.  As we wait we can use that time to develop some of the following:

The virtues listed in the Fruits of the Spirit

Healthy listening skills

Meaningful relationships with your peers

The habit of praying over the dreams and goals of yourself and others

Encouragement towards others so as to avoid jealousy and envy

These are only a few of the many ways that you can be a slow-down Christian instead of a hurry-up Christian. Don’t rush God, He knows what you need to learn and experience before being promoted into leadership positions. He is not looking for perfect people, but He is definitely looking for quality people. God does not call leaders who will cause damage to His people. Remember, Jesus didn’t reveal his purpose and mission until he was approximately in his 30’s. What was he doing during all that time? Waiting peacefully. Jesus revealed himself as a leader after much preparation and learning. If the Son of God can take the time to wait peacefully, then I think we can afford to do the same.