Last month, I read (reviewed) a book called Impact by Tim Irwin. It's a book about leadership. We have seen throughout history that good leaders have made a huge impact. They are trustworthy and inspiring. On the contrary, bad leaders are horrors. Then there are those who start out as good, successful leaders but later change not for the better but for the worse and thus ruin their potential impact. When this happens, most people are shocked. Why? What causes these promising leaders to make such bad choices and head down the path of destruction? Impact explores this issue and digs deep inside to the core. The author points out that leadership failures usually have nothing to do with the leader's competence. The culprit is a crack (or more) in his/her core. A compromised core corrodes and crumbles leaders and their impact. Problems arise when leaders lack authenticity and accountability. Power and pride is a very dangerous combination. It often corrupts good judgment and ignores moral absolutes. Unregulated power often leads to arrogance and a self-serving agenda. True humility is a wonderful antidote and that's what I'd like to talk about here! I'm aware that pride and arrogance still try to creep in me once in a while. I must vigilantly pray for humility. My eyes must be on God, not self...my desire for approval or applause must be on His alone, not others'.
"A truly humble man is sensible . . .
of his natural distance from God;
of his dependence on Him;
of the insufficiency of his own power and wisdom;
that it is by God's power that he is upheld and provided for;
that he needs God's wisdom to lead and guide him, and His might to enable him to live a holy life. Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil's reach, as humility!" (~Jonathan Edwards)
"For this is what the high and exalted One says--He who lives forever, whose name is Holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" (Isaiah 57:15)
"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble!" (1 Peter 5:5b)
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." (Proverbs 11:2)
We all are leaders to a certain degree in our own spheres of influence. You are leaders in LJ Fellowship (and maybe in your classes, too?) and someday soon you'll be leaders in your workplace or family or ministry, etc. What kind of leader do you want to be? I hope and pray that God will help us all be faithful servant leaders who will lead & serve like Christ and make an eternal impact with our lives for His glory and His kingdom. What kind of legacy do you wish to leave? Live and lead accordingly and humbly.
"Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right." ~Ezra Taft Benson
"Arrogance invites ruin; humility receives benefits." ~Chinese Proverb
"A truly humble man is sensible . . .
of his natural distance from God;
of his dependence on Him;
of the insufficiency of his own power and wisdom;
that it is by God's power that he is upheld and provided for;
that he needs God's wisdom to lead and guide him, and His might to enable him to live a holy life. Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil's reach, as humility!" (~Jonathan Edwards)
"For this is what the high and exalted One says--He who lives forever, whose name is Holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" (Isaiah 57:15)
"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble!" (1 Peter 5:5b)
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." (Proverbs 11:2)
We all are leaders to a certain degree in our own spheres of influence. You are leaders in LJ Fellowship (and maybe in your classes, too?) and someday soon you'll be leaders in your workplace or family or ministry, etc. What kind of leader do you want to be? I hope and pray that God will help us all be faithful servant leaders who will lead & serve like Christ and make an eternal impact with our lives for His glory and His kingdom. What kind of legacy do you wish to leave? Live and lead accordingly and humbly.
"Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right." ~Ezra Taft Benson
"Arrogance invites ruin; humility receives benefits." ~Chinese Proverb