Look at me!

I recently attended a ministry conference which had an emphasis on preaching and corporate worship. There was a wide variety of people who were given the responsibility for leading the worship and delivering the messages. As I sat through those meetings, I could not help but notice that some of the leaders were oblivious of themselves and were completely focused on giving glory to God. Unfortunately, a few of the other leaders gave the opposite impression. It seemed that they were saying, "Look at me!"

I recognize that I cannot truly know what is in the hearts of other men and women. However, the spirit or attitude in which one leads is a very important part of communicating the truth of God. Every believer, leaders and followers alike, must fight the temptation to think and act as if everything is about them. Here are a few thoughts on what attitude a godly leader should project:

Humility: a serious grasp of his/her desperate, sinful situation before a holy, righteous, and all-powerful God. This humility should also be a recognition that, apart from God's grace, they lack any ability to lead, to influence people for good, to know God, or to do anything worthwhile.

Confidence: not a confidence in his/her own abilities or qualities, but a solid confidence in Jesus and the truth of God. Where we are weak and insufficient, Christ is more than sufficient. Even in our strengths we must rely on Christ to fully achieve God's purposes.

Discernment: a serious desire to follow God's leading. When everyone is looking to a person for leadership, it is a hard thing to separate one's own opinions and feelings from God's prompting.

Direction: an understanding that there is a purpose and a mission behind what they are called to do. Furthermore, that purpose and mission is ultimately no different than the overall purpose for which God calls any person to faith. Namely, to glorify God by enjoying him in a deep and personal relationship through faith in Jesus and to guide others into that same relationship with God.


I pray that I will not just exhibit these qualities, but have a heart that has these attitudes firmly and permanently established as foundations.

"Great God, teach me to walk humbly before you and before those you call me to lead. Give me unwavering confidence in Jesus who is sufficient for all things. Give me discernment to sense where you are leading me and the direction to follow you passionately and purposefully. Lead me so that I may lead others. Let it be so in my life!"

He must increase, I must decrease.

JasonPS