My experience is that even the best leaders tend to be forgetful at times. Usually, though, we talk about forgetting appointments or assignments or commitments – not so much these simple realities that many leaders I know (including me) forget too readily:
- God didn’t call me to lead because I’m such a good leader. He called me to lead because He wants His glory to fill the lands. It’s about Him, not about me. Period.
- Were it not for the people who graciously follow me, I would not be a leader. I get to do what I do because of kind, serving, faithful people who walk with me.
- My job is to point away from myself. I’m to point to others, and then ultimately to Him. If I point only to myself, I’m an idol rather than a leader.
- I must raise up others to do greater things than I’ll ever do. If I wrap my ministry around myself, or if I get jealous when others do more than I, I’m not a good leader.
- God doesn’t need me. If I don’t believe that, He’ll teach me otherwise. I desperately need Him – it’s not the other way around.
- God knows everything I do, think, or say. That is, I’m not getting away with anything. Nothing’s hidden from the One who matters most.
- Most of the people in the world have never heard of me. No matter how popular or famous I think I may be, billions and billions of people don’t know I exist. And, even if they heard of me, they wouldn’t be impressed.
- There are better speakers than I in the world. Actually, there are better speakers in my community. Perhaps in my church. Maybe even in my family. I’m never as good as I think I am.
- I’m a poor leader if I don’t love my spouse and family well. In fact, I might even disqualify myself for ministry if I’m a bad spouse and parent.
- My church will do no more evangelism than I do. The evidence may be anecdotal, but it’s recurrent: non-evangelistic leaders lead their church to do nothing evangelistically.
- I can fool a lot of people, but not everybody. Somebody will see through any charades I play.
- It’s not my church . . . or my class . . . or my praise team . . . or my position. I don’t own anything I lead. God can take it all away in a heartbeat.
- I’m a bad witness if I don’t take care of myself physically. Even my deepest spirituality is hindered when I lack discipline to care for the body God gave me.
- Jesus’ return is always near. If I really believe that biblical truth, I would live with more urgency.
What else would you add to this list? Which characteristic in this list describes you?