I was going through some of the papers in my Bible the other night, (I seem to accumulate so many!) and I ran across some papers on leadership. I can't remember if this was a class our pastor did, or if it was something we did in our teacher's meetings. Anyway. It list five people's definition of a leader: Inspirations, Trusting, Motivators, Examples, Dedicated. As you know from my past blogs, I am a thinker. And while thinking on these things, I asked myself, "Do I inspire people? (I hope so!) Am I trustworthy? (I think so.) Am I trusting towards other people? (This one got me!) And so on... But then I read these next few statements. "Leadership is best defined as influence. Leadership is not position, rank or title. Leadership is influence of those around us." It goes on to say that sociologist tell us that even the most introverted person will influence, are you ready for this, ten thousand other people, in their lifetime!! Now I don't know how that makes you feel, but I feel like I could weep right now! Weep for the times that I may not have influenced someone in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. And weep for joy that I have still have more opportunities to do so. Because whether positive or negative, you have made an influence on someone's life! We never know who and how much we influence. I pray that everyone who reads this would reflect on this. I want to influence everyone I meet in a positive way. I want them to know that they have just been influenced by a Holy Ghost filled child of God!! I want to be inspiring, motivating, trustworthy and trusting (within reason). I want to live my life as an example, and be dedicated to the work of the kingdom!! The issue is not whether you will influence someone. The issue is what kind of an influence you will be?!
I leave you with a quote from J.R. Miller.
"There have been meetings of only a moment that left impressions for life. No one can understand that mysterious thing we call influence...yet every one of us continually exerts it, either to heal, to bless, to leave marks of beauty; or to wound, to hurt, to poison, or stain other lives."
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This is good Sis.Holly. I want to be an influence for good too. You mentioned that leaders trust... and this one got ya. =) (not really though). I believe there are a select few people a leader will wholeheartedly trust.. then there are innumerable others he will "trust to test" (if that makes sense). This may sound very blunt or coarse, but I've seen this acted out lovingly and in true leadership. Once the trust-testing succeeds or fails, the leader knows to whom he can further trust. I also believe there are different types of things we entrust... some to "co-leaders" or peers, some to authorities, and some types to those less capable of handling serious tustworthy things (children, spiritually dry individuals, gossips, etc.). But I do think its important as a leader to instill in people a sense of trust. As the Rock Church's mottos states, its about "helping people become". You say "become what?" Well, become trustworthy, more holy, disciplined, you name it. And how do I (as a leader) help someone to be all they can be? By letting them know I trust them... maybe not with my life's secrets but with a responsibility that they can carry out. Once this mission is carried out, trust is born in the follower toward you(the leader)... and in the leader toward the follower... and you have a potential leader in the making.
Thank you Sis. Von de Leigh. I understand completely what you mean about the "trust to test". I believe you have to be wise about who and how you trust. And I certainly want to be a leader who "helps people become".
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