Ponderings
“What really gives the leader his authority—his right to lead—does at the end of the day come down
to him, or her, as a person—the nature of their character and the degree of their integrity.”
~ General Sir Richard Dannatt – Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army
Have you noticed that often leaders are promoted due to their knowledge, experience and relational connectedness? That has often been the case with many of us – and, of course, there is nothing wrong with this approach and in fact has much wisdom attached to it. However, per our quote above from a fine godly British Military leader, ultimately, a leader leads out of who they really are and what they have become – what is embedded deep within them, who they are away from the crowd, and what they have become due to the chiseling challenges that have allowed character to emerge as fine gold.
Where are you in this process? Is God at work within you building a character that can later contain the weight of broad leadership in daring times? Is He growing your trust in Him as seemingly everyone around you gets promoted and well positioned now for success? As one who is leading – are you giving time to the building of godly leaders around you who will in-turn do the same within their generation?
In light of the days we are living in we need leaders who unconditionally love and uncompromisingly live and lead out of truth, leaders who lead out of relationship and accomplish their mission with excellence. We need leaders in every societal domain who are tried and tested, who have failed and know how to rightly respond to it (I tend to trust those most who walk with a limp), and those who have learned to surround themselves with godly counsel and listen to it.
To emerge as a leader who leads out of who they are, one must willingly subject themselves to the deep and often painful dealings of God over an extended period of time. If there is any question of its ultimate value for the individual or the world around them, consider the lives offered up to us by God in Hebrews 11 – those of whom ‘the world was not worthy’.
~DB
to him, or her, as a person—the nature of their character and the degree of their integrity.”
~ General Sir Richard Dannatt – Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army
Have you noticed that often leaders are promoted due to their knowledge, experience and relational connectedness? That has often been the case with many of us – and, of course, there is nothing wrong with this approach and in fact has much wisdom attached to it. However, per our quote above from a fine godly British Military leader, ultimately, a leader leads out of who they really are and what they have become – what is embedded deep within them, who they are away from the crowd, and what they have become due to the chiseling challenges that have allowed character to emerge as fine gold.
Where are you in this process? Is God at work within you building a character that can later contain the weight of broad leadership in daring times? Is He growing your trust in Him as seemingly everyone around you gets promoted and well positioned now for success? As one who is leading – are you giving time to the building of godly leaders around you who will in-turn do the same within their generation?
In light of the days we are living in we need leaders who unconditionally love and uncompromisingly live and lead out of truth, leaders who lead out of relationship and accomplish their mission with excellence. We need leaders in every societal domain who are tried and tested, who have failed and know how to rightly respond to it (I tend to trust those most who walk with a limp), and those who have learned to surround themselves with godly counsel and listen to it.
To emerge as a leader who leads out of who they are, one must willingly subject themselves to the deep and often painful dealings of God over an extended period of time. If there is any question of its ultimate value for the individual or the world around them, consider the lives offered up to us by God in Hebrews 11 – those of whom ‘the world was not worthy’.
~DB
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