Great Leaders

Scripture for this week:

1 Peter 5:5-6
In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 6 And God will exalt you in due time,  if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand
NET Bible

We had a most unusual men's prayer meeting this morning.  Normally, a couple of hundred men meet to share and encourage one another and to pray together for our nation, city and families.  It's normally an all male event where we can share freely without worrying about impressing our wives and daughters.  But this morning was different.  The main speaker was a woman; a wife, mother and daughter, but the subject was still men.  She talked about her father and the influence that he had had in her life. She was blessed to have a father that cared for her, listened to her, and spent time with her.  And in telling her story, she encouraged us all to be better fathers and grandfathers.

Interestingly, this week's scripture is 1 Peter 5:5-6, which talks about the relationship between young people and their elders.  The apostle Peter, in this letter, encourages good leadership and good follower-ship.  But what exactly makes a good leader?  The speaker's father is an excellent example of a good leader.  The primary thing that made an impact on this woman's life as a young girl, was that her father was there for her.  He listened, he played with her and her siblings, he supported and encouraged her in her various activities, but mostly, he put her first.  This is what Peter tells us.  A good leader, one that is worthy to be followed wholeheartedly, is one who is humble.

Humility is not a word that you often associate with leaders in our modern age.  A humble leader puts the needs of his people ahead of his own.  A humble shepherd cares for his sheep, to see that they have all that they need to prosper.  A humble elder is one who a young man can subject himself to, without fear that he will be abused or neglected.  If we aspire to be good leaders, good fathers, good grandfathers, we need to be like our speaker's father. We need to be like Jesus, and put our people, our sons and daughters, our granddaughters and grandsons, ahead of ourselves, to put their needs ahead of our own.

Humbling yourself is not easy.  It is not natural.  It goes against the world order.  It requires pain and sacrifice on our part, but it is essential.  As Jesus said, in Luke 22:26

"Not so with you; instead the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves."
Let us all aspire to better leader, better husbands, better fathers; More humble men.