# 5 "Bold Faith and Humility"

A story is told of a missionary who ended up shipwrecked on a remote island where the natives nursed him back to health. For the next twenty years he lived among them. When they were sick he cared for them. When they were hungry he taught them how to grow food. When they were lonely he kept them company. When they were wronged he defended them. Later when other missionaries came and talked about Jesus, the islanders insisted that Jesus was already living among them. When the new missionaries were introduced to “Jesus” they discovered that it was none other than their old friend they thought was dead. I love this story. It really does raise the bar for us and sets a great example for us live by.

Similarly, in this life, it requires tremendous faith to rise and be counted for God if we're going to lead people and accomplish something great. Somehow God calls us as leaders to have faith in Him and His purposes, His timing, His leading and His calling. Two of the main ingredients God is looking for, in leaders, are faith and humility. They sound like opposites but they're not. Humility is simply acknowledging before God that He alone is the Source of all your abilities. Hebrews 11:6 says "without faith it is impossible to please God". God is always "attracted" to people with faith, especially if its bold, humble faith. We read so many accounts of men and women in the Bible who simply believed in God and His ability to save, deliver, heal and conquer. We read of Moses, Abraham, Joshua, Elijah, David, Jeremiah, Ruth, Ezra and many others who had a bold faith in God. However this faith must never be mistaken as arrogance but rather its a faith that is in God, and what He can do. The humility that God requires is not an inferiority complex or a drawing back or a shyness. No its simply an acknowledgement that God is the giver of you gifts, your callings, your abilities and your future.

Try to live with this balance of having bold faith with an underlying humility in God. Trust God that as fruit and success comes your way that you will give Him the glory for it. This is humility. Forget about people who misunderstand your life, your words and your actions. Keep believing and trusting God. Keep speaking words filled with faith. Keep your head up high, a smile on your face and go for it. Lastly, here's a thought: nobody has ever been rebuked by God for having too much faith. God has never said "son, you trusted Me for too much". Go ahead and "make His day" by keep trusting Him.

Happy leading!!

# 4 "Character vs Gifting"

Your gifts and talents will only take you as far as your character. I have seen many people over the years with amazing gifts and talents but they never had the character to nurture and foster them. Character is like the foundations of a house, its below the surface and unseen. You know it's there but without it, a house will not last. Helen Keller said "character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved."

So here's the burning question; "do you have the character, to sustain your calling, your gifts and your talents?" You see Sampson had a tremendous gift - his physical strength. But at he did not have the character to keep himself 'successful' to the end. He tragically fell to Delilah, after being tempted. Who or what is the Delilah in your life that will try to trip you up, so that you become another statistic of fallen leaders? In this life you will face many trial, tests and temptations, that God will allow, for you to grow and come through as "more than a conqueror". Every time you pass these character tests, you set yourself up for more fruit and ultimate success. In fact Jesus says "whoever is trusted with very little, can also be trusted with much" (Luke 16:10 NIV). Jesus wants you to walk in all the potential of your gifts, but you need to be faithful first with a little.

Friends life is designed to test our values and morals. And rest assured, it will!! Settle it. But, these, once passed, will strengthen you, equiup you and enlarge your leadership capacity. Your CV, your qualifications, you degree, your reputation, your gifts, your talents, these all may get you to the top, but if you don't have Godly character as a strong foundation, you won't stay there. Too many people focus entirely on gifting when its actually Godly character that we should be aiming for. As you lead people, make Godly character your goal. When you do, God will trust you with more.

Happy leading

#3 "YOU are the song"

So we're called to live a life that honours Jesus, glorifying Him and causes others around us to marvel at God's nature in us. Right? Well this is leadership. Its living a life, on purpose (or intentionally), that mostly glorifies Him. Now I'm aware that none of us live in a realm of total perfection. However while we do life together, nothing should stop us from living with a constant attitude of "Lord I want to worship you and honour you in everything I do and say". This is like the bride who keeps herself beautiful and attractive for her groom. Like the church keeping herself attractive for Jesus our groom. Another way of saying this is "Lord, may my entire life be a song of worship to You". Friend YOU are that song !!

Isn't it funny how music always grabs our attention! How much more then can we draw people's attention by our lives that "show off" God's nature and attributes to the world around us? When we realize that we are "a song" to God, people will watch us and learn from us. They will watch us and see God working in us and through us. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus said "let your light shine.....so that men will see it and glorify God in heaven". This puts the responsibility squarely on us to "let" our lives reflect Jesus. Don't separate your daily life from worship times, thinking one is less honourable to God than the other. Its ALL a worship to Him. Don't think God is more please with your Bible study and worship times than your cleaning up at home and serving clients at your work place. No, it’s all a worship to God. So do it all as a worship song to Him.

So go ahead and "make His day" and shine your light. Let your very life be a song to Him and let others, whom you lead, watch you. You are the song, so sing - bold, loud and proud!!!

Happy LEADING !!

# 2 "Called, equiped and growing"

As leaders, God calls us to stand out from the crowd. Yes that's right, stand out. Settle it once and for all that from now on you will need to lead strong and lead well, causing others to follow you, as you follow Christ. The good news is that God equips us over time. But to answer "yes" to God's call, we need to recognise our weaknesses, our strengths, while seeing the God-potential in us to obey that call. This attitude requires a balance between a God-confidence and humility. Not easy to do. It requires faith in God. The "catch-22" in this is that many times God calls people who seem to lack the necessary skills for the task at hand. However, God mostly looks for character and then adds the skills needed, over time, watching us grow and develop. If God had to wait for each potential-leader untill they had acquired all the skills needed, we will never have leaders around us. No, God's way is to choose imperfect, available volunteers who have the character to be used by Him, in humility, obedience and faith. As God calls you and equips you, remember that it takes time to grow in it and show fruit, consistently through the years. Many will not understand the fact that you make mistakes and most will not see that you are a "work in progress".

God's Word says that each of us have recieved various gifts, talents and callings. See Romans12:4-9 and 1Timothy4:12. Shew, I'm so grateful for God's "equipment" in us! All of these are for a purpose greater than ourselves. They're not for you. They're always for others. God supernaturally calls you, then equips you for the task, then over the years you will continue to grow in your calling, producing more and more fruit as the years pass by.

So from today, don't put unnecessary pressure on yourself to be "the perfect" leader. And don't portray yourself to be that either. Live humbly, yet confident in Him and His grace that enables you to grow into your potential. Take the gifts, talents and calling that God put in you and pray that they increase and grow. Be patient as He crafts and slowly chips away at you, watching your growth and development. Glorify Him for His work in you and through you to others. Wow what a privilege!

Happy LEADING !!