leading by God's grace

Psalms 118:20 (NLT)

These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there.

One of the hardest things to do is lead.  I see this in my life almost weekly as there are times, situations and people that have to see God lived out before them.  A leader ought to understand that their actions, their words and their leading ought to show people what God is like.  Our leading should be full of the grace of God.

I desire to give that kind of grace.  But leading isn’t easy because not everyone will agree with you.  Not everyone will like you.  Jesus was there.  Look back through the chronicles of the Bible where leaders did things that had to be done but weren’t always popular.  Rising to the top is Jesus.  His life demonstrated acceptance and love to the people that the culture said were sinners or unclean. 

Jesus also said some things that were not easy to hear.  He was honest.  He was even angry but didn’t sin.  Leading isn’t easy, but through Jesus’ life leading was demonstrated to have a balance of grace and toughness.

One of the people whose writing and teaching always catches my attention is Max Lucado.  Once again this week I have found this to be true.  Here are some quotes from Max:

The people who make a difference are not the ones with the credentials but the ones with the concern. – Max Lucado

A leader is convinced of the vision God has given them.  That conviction must be about people most of all.

To lead the orchestra, you have to turn your back on the crowd. – Max Lucado

This is a tough one that I am still learning.  Jesus saw the need of the multitudes, but Jesus poured His life into a few men we know as the disciples.

Conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional. – Max Lucado

I hate conflict.  Enough said.

Two types of voices command your attention today. Negative ones fill your mind with doubt, bitterness, and fear. Positive ones purvey hope and strength. Which one will you choose to heed? – Max Lucado

Who will we believe?  Who do we allow to run around our minds?  By choosing to think about the right things and believe the truth we will be great leaders!

What you and I might rate as an absolute disaster, God may rate as a pimple-level problem that will pass. He views your life the way you view a movie after you’ve read the book. When something bad happens, you feel the air sucked out of the theater. Everyone else gasps at the crisis on the screen. Not you. Why? You’ve read the book. You know how the good guy gets out of the tight spot. God views your life with the same confidence. He’s not only read your story…he wrote it. – Max Lucado

Leaders have great perspective because they trust God for their perspective.  If we have not been with God, we will not have good perspective.  If we spend time with God, we can smile with confidence and with God everywhere we go.

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning… Face it, friend. He is crazy about you! – Max Lucado

That’s one of my favorite quotes.  God loves us no matter what.  As a leader, and I’ve said it before, my job is to bring out the best the people around me.  God does that in us.  Yes, our God loves us so much that He’s the guy yelling our name, jumping up and down, and letting us know how important we are to Him.

A great leader knows the grace of God because they have experienced the grace of God.  A great leader is great because they share the grace of God with others whether they deserve it or not.

Colossians 1:6 (NLT)

This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.