What type of leader does God honor?

What type of leadership does God honor? Sometimes, it is helpful to see the contrast in a unique way.

Selfishness, disobedience, anarchy, and perversion prevailed during the time of judges. The nation of Israel was nearing the end of 400 years of the nation living by "doing what is right in their own eyes".

Judges were deliverers sent to remind, rescue, and redeem the nation during a crisis. It was during this time that we hear of a young Moabite widow named Ruth. Keep in mind that to an Israelite a Moabite was cursed by God because they attacked Israel in her wanderings. They were basically viewed as an enemy of the people of God. Yet, Ruth's loyalty and kindness stands in stark contrast to what has occurred in the last 400 years in the nation.

God has a plan and His plan is to redeem His people. His plan will prevail even if He must use a young foreign woman to illustrate the depth of His redeeming love.

It is during this time the story of Ruth rises to remind us of the type of leader God will honor.

As I reflected on two truths David Guzik said about Ruth's leadership, "Character before conduct and responsibility before results," I started pondering basic truths that must come before leadership is known. Notice that all begin with what is happening on the inside before outward results occurred.

We do not know how long Mahlon and Kilion were married to Orpah and Ruth, but we do know that the family lived in Moab for ten years. Ten years they were able to show what was on the inside. Ten years for Ruth to watch and observe. Now in the moment of great grief and decision Ruth reveals what happened on the inside. The truth of her depth is revealed and her story stands judge over the nations prevailing attitude of "doing what is right in their own eyes."

The more I pondered my list started growing. Some are truths we see in Ruth. Some are truths that support what we observe in her. All are truths we must grow in.

Seek to find
Knock to open
Build foundation before reformation
Build formation before transformation

Willingness leads to opportunities
Dig roots before bear fruit
Build character before conduct
Walk in faithfulness before fruitfulness
Live responsibily before we see results
Grow in depth before breadth
Be before doing
Build the invisible before visible
Live in closet prayers before public influence

How might these character qualities influence our nation today as it faces its own "do what is right in your own eyes" attitude?
 

Raise up Leaders who Seek the LORD First

Look at this cool chart on the difference between Moses and Joshua. As I read through it I wondered if God is raising up our next generation of leaders to be like Joshua! 

As justice is sought in our nation and around the world the only way it will be won is if the leaders like Joshua stand up!

We need leaders that will fight the battle face to face. 

We need leaders that will confront laziness and fear of the enemy. 

We need tough leaders that will not put up with compromise in the WORD OF GOD on any topic! The message will always be the same. The methods must change. 

We need leaders that will tell people to get up and dig their own wells or in today's language get off your lazy toosh and take care of yourself and stop looking for hand outs. 

I think my struggle as a leader might be that I am a mix of Moses and Joshua. I think my flesh takes over and I act like Joshua in a sinful way by reacting and not seeking the LORD first. 

My heart also longs to be the peacemaker like Moses but I tend to be more of a peacekeeper. I think by just listening and not doing I can keep the peace. Ugh!  That never works. Peacemaking requires strength, resilience, and grit. There will always be a "do" in order to make peace! 

In both cases when I mess up, it is because I did not seek the LORD first. Ugh.

Father, rise up in me the necessary leadership skills to make Your will known and accomplished. Help me to release leaders around me to be like Joshua. Use them to tear down the walls that are barriers to Your will and plan. In Jesus name amen

Put Others First

To get ahead, Put others first" John C. Maxwell, Leadership Bible.

I started praying through 1&2 Samuel today and finished 1&2 King's. 

Servanthood and kindness go a long way. As I read through these chapters, I noticed how the kings (leaders) that honored God by honoring others were the ones that developed loyalty. I don't think King David was saying to himself, "Be kind and serve so they will be loyal to you."  He was just being himself... kind and serving. 

But, as I read about this type of leadership I realize I am not always serving others and I am not always kind. I am very aware of my short comings. Sometimes, my tone can ruin a month's worth of kindness and service. Who wants to be loyal to a self-serving person? Ugh. Do you ever struggle with your tone like I do? 

The other night I just let Greg have it. I was tired, frustrated, and well honestly self-driven so my tone unleashed.  As it was unleashing, I realized how awful I sounded and how he really was being kind in his response. I had to repent instantly. I did. He accepted and we moved on. Praise God. But I could not help but ponder my behavior.

We cannot allow these moments to be our norm. I am definitely a work in progress. So I pray and ask God to forgive me and to do a work in me. It is so much harder to do than when I release the uglies in me. It takes more strength and restraint. 

So, I pray.

Father, please help me to be kind and serve. Help me to be others-serving and not self-seeking. Help me to recognize life isn't fair. I will need to be the one who is kind when others aren't.  I will need to be the servant when others aren't.  Help me to do this because it honors others and You. Help me to do this even when life isn't fair. Help me to be loyal in my tone, words, and service not because I seek gain but because it brings blessings and honor. Help me to find ways to help others win. In Jesus name, amen

Ruined and Useless

(Praying Lion by Tara Rye 2016)

What is your talent?  How do you create or serve others through your talent or gifting? In middle school, I just knew I wanted to grow up to become a famous artist. I took art and quickly became dear friends with my art teacher. I drew all the time. I would practice drawing for hours every chance I could. But, one day I heard that you have to die to be famous or really make an income. This sobered me up and caused me to believe that my art gift that gave me so much joy was just a hobby and I should spend my time developing my other talents. Once I started college I left my art behind. I no longer had time to spend hours drawing or creating even for the fun of it or atleast that is what I thought. I thought I needed to spend hours growing other talents and gifting that seemed to rise up as more relevant. 

This reminds me of the moment when Jeremiah was asked to bury a linen belt in the crevice of rocks (Jeremiah 13:1-11).  He left it there for many days before the LORD told him to go get it. When Jeremiah returned to get it, the linen belt was ruined. It had been destroyed by abandonment, disuse, and no care. I realize that God used this as a lesson to Israel to illustrate the importance of their relationship with Him. Israel had walked away and abandoned God and His commands because of their own stubborn pride and pursuit of false gods. Their lack of care in their relationship with God rendered them useless to God. 

This made me think about my art talent. I finally picked it up twenty years later. My heart and mind was of a mature woman, but my artistic skill was of a high school artist. Literally, my skill, talent, gift was only as mature as what I had put into growing it. I had to invest time for it to mature with me and for it to grow into its gift. 

Isn't this true in all things? In my relationship with God. I need to spend time knowing Him and letting Him know me. This is where transformation can take place and spiritual maturity is born. This can only happen through the intentional habits of prayer and being in the Word of God. In my relationship with Greg, it is the same. If I ignore him and do not listen to him or talk to him then we struggle and that makes life hard. As a leader, I learn about leadership to help me to know what to do so I can mature in my leadership. Why study leadership if I am not going to apply it? In each of these, I realize it requires the gift of presence, investment, care, and use for growth to happen. I don't want to put my relationship with God or Greg in a situation where it is useless. I don't want to do this in my leadership either. I learned the lesson the hard way with my art. I am still trying to mature it, but I can feel the brunt of time and lack of use everytime I sit down and try to create. I am not as malleable as I used to be. I learned that the quicker I apply the lesson the steadier I am in growth. The more I delay then the maturing phase takes longer.

Is there a gift or talent you have put away that you might need to pull out and put to use? Is there a truth or leadership skill you know, but have not put into practice? Have you pushed a person aside you need to draw near to? What about God or His Word? What are you doing to mature in your walk with Him? Do not let these go into ruins because of lack of use or being cast aside. Pull them out and start using them again. You might find like I did with my art. I had forgotten the joy I received in doing it.