Cultivating Character—Growing Leaders.

In last week’s Blog, I said that over the next several months, we would investigate the CHARACTER of leaders—servant leaders, true leaders, heroes.  The character that involves faith, courage, perseverance, prayer, honesty, and a vision for what they see as something better for them and those around them.

The best way I know to learn about the attributes of character in true leaders is to follow those who have been down that road, the very best, and the best I know is the ONE.

Jesus said, “the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.”  Those words are part of Jesus’ teaching on leadership in Matthew 20, verses 25-28.  This is where He begins by first describing how a leader should not act; that is, “lord it over them” or “exercise authority over them.”

In these words, “the Son of man . . .” are found the first attributes of a true leader, a leader who is a real hero.  Those attributes are the realization that leadership is an act of service and it is exercised from a position of humility.

LESSON: Leadership is an act of service and is exercised from a position of humility in one’s heart. YOU LEAD TO SERVE AND YOU SERVE TO LEAD.

This is a counter intuitive lesson on leadership and in future Blogs, we’ll unwrap this concept.  But for now, let’s just say that the person that exercises leadership from this perspective is one with the faith and courage to take the risk and strive toward a vision that might just look like a hill too steep to climb.  And this I might add, requires no small amount of prayer.