With God inside our hearts and guiding our minds, our words and our actions, our power to impact others on this earth is UNLIMITED. Because God’s power is unlimited, and we were created in His very own image, we are a light shining in the darkness. Just as a candle illuminates a dark room, allowing things to come into view, we are made to guide others through a dark world.
TO NATURAL-BORN LEADERS:
You know how to get others to follow, and you know how to illuminate the path, but do you know the destination? Without a clear destination, you lead just to lead, impacting only those that come into your path in a finite period of time. Even U.S. Presidents, elected officials, military leaders, high priests, and wealthy CEO’s are soon forgotten, replaced by the next person in power.
Your gift of leadership is God-given, because He is your Creator. The light that shines in you, that others are drawn to follow, is there because God made us as a reflection of His own image, and we are made to shine with His glory.
We were designed to be the light shining in a world of darkness to guide others to a specific destination, not to lead others on pointless missions that will be forgotten in time. Even military missions that have value in winning battles and protecting and defending civilians have only an impact that lives on merely in history books.
But to lead others to life everlasting, to the spring of life that never stops flowing, that is a mission that will not be forgotten. And who gave you the gift of leadership? The Leader and Savior of all mankind — Jesus Christ, Son of God the Father. As you lead others, do so by allowing Christ to live through you. The glory of heaven shines brightly as the destination for all of His children, so let your light guide others to His eternal promises of salvation.
ADDED FOR FURTHER STUDY: When someone is a natural-born leader, they show those qualities at ANY AGE. This is one reason that I believe our teachers have such an important role in helping to bring out, strengthen, and refine a child’s natural tendencies and abilities. We can all make a difference in young people’s lives if we see them as our next leaders, business owners, medical professionals, and counselors. Encourage them, listen to their viewpoints, patiently give them words of wisdom, but perhaps most importantly of all… DO NOT JUDGE THEM. It is not anyone’s role on earth to judge others when we don’t know another’s heart or what their motives are, and our nations will be made stronger if we build up people’s spirits without condemnation and guide them in Christ’s love.
Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:11–16 (NIV)
(Originally published on Feb. 6, 2023 on Medium.com, written by Steph)