The Responsibility of Leadership
Over the past few months, I have read a number of outstanding articles in the Harvard Business Review on leadership. These articles address some of the attributes of leaders, as well as outline some challenges and pitfalls of leadership.
I have found it very interesting that much of the guidance and research on leadership mirrors what the Bible says about leadership. (Why do we seem to take more stock of the religious when it comes from a non-religious source?)
One of the challenges of leadership is that as a leader, you do not necessarily have direct control over how things get executed. Better yet, even when you can exercise direct control, it is often more effective to delegate the tasks that need to be performed. But, such delegation involves risks. Even when instructions and training are provided, the work may not be performed exactly as if you had done it yourself (this is not always a bad thing, btw), and the results may not always be as you would have them, but you – the leader – are still responsible for the results.
Jesus is the leader of the church, and He has delegated work to each member, and each congregation.
Ephesians 4:15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
What we do, as members of the body of Christ – particularly those who have leadership within the body of Christ – reflects directly on Jesus, who is the leader of the church. It is He who bears the brunt of our failure to show a Christ-like attitude. It is we who bring disrepute to His name by our misbehavior, not unlike the ill repute that children bring upon their parents when they misbehave.
“Tsk, tsk… Just look at how unruly that child is. Must be poor upbringing. Parents today…”
Likewise, when those who purport to be Christians, who represent to the world that they are followers of Christ, and they succumb to temptation in some public setting, it is not they who bear the brunt of the reproach, but Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 6:4-6
(4) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
(5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
(6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
When those who call themselves Christians fall into some sin, they give “great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme”, as Nathan told King David after he had sinned so egregiously in the matter of Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 2:14). They cause people to question how God can be all-powerful, but still be seemingly unable to prevent His great name from being misused and misrepresented.
Sometime, as a leader, you just have to deal with the consequences of the people working on your behalf, and in many ways, this is what God does today. But, the time will soon come where His name and His character will be vindicated, and that of every Christian who has given his or her self into God’s care.
Until that time, we need to be vigilant about our responsibilities toward God, and recognize that we need to rely upon Him for strength and wisdom so that we will not bring reproach to ourselves and to His name. We need to be leaders of the same caliber as Jesus is, but we also need to be diligent followers, who provide the right example as disciples and ambassadors until He comes again to straighten out the mess of the enemy.
Revelation 22:10-12
(10) And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
(11) He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
(12) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Let us be good leaders, but even better followers, bringing only honor and glory to God’s name, and not making His leadership responsibilities any more difficult than they need to be.