Ch. 1 of Spiritual Leadership / Soap - Gideon

To aspire to leadership is an honorable ambition.

1 Timothy 3:1

Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not.

Jeremiah 45:5

-Most people shy away from leadership because they don't think it's appropriate to aspire towards leadership. It's emphasized that 'leaders must be servants' (which is so very true but...) and somewhere along the line the boldness and ambition was extinguished and the 'leaders must also actually be leaders' got lost somewhere along the way.

Ambition isn't necessarily a bad thing as long as the motives behind it are honorable-The difference between wanting great things for ourselves and God is distinct.

Back in the times when Paul was trying to raise up leaders, such a problem didn't really exist because along with carrying the mantle of leadership, suffering, rejection, hardship, and even death were possibilities. Even the greatest of Christians needed encouragement to lead so Paul brought out boldness by calling that which is honorable, an honorable ambition. Even today, people are suffering at the hands of communists and their governments for being church leaders in countries where the Gospel is illegal (China, North Korea, Nepal, etc).

In churches like our own, in America, being a leader brings privileges and respect that could easily tempt people to aspire towards leadership for the wrong reasons. Striving towards excellence could never be a bad thing, but the heart behind it is what determines whether or not the ambition is godly or self-seeking.

Christians ought to strive towards building up and edifying the church through our God-given talents and gifts (remember every Christian has their given gifts). They should never press towards the popularity or recognition, but rather press towards serving God and His people. In doing so, being the last means first-being first means being last: There will be a cost to count and true suffering refines the leader who will either be left with selfish ambition broken or a holy aspiration, realized.

S: But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you."

Judges 8:23

O: I remember very clearly at how I was amazed at the story of Gideon. Gideon was the biblical version (and OG, if I might add) of 300 - God separated 300 men from over 30,000 to help him overtake the Midianites and the two kings Zebah and Zalmunna-300 of God's chosen men took out 120,000 swordsmen!

At this point in Scripture, Gideon had avenged his brothers and he had gained victory-the men of Israel asked Gideon and his generation to rule over them and he refused by replying as such. After reading such an amazing story of how Gideon conquered, I was especially impressed by his humble answer. He knew that all along it was never by his own strength nor by the strength of his men that they were able to overcome the Midianites-through the many signs (Gideon's fleece, prophetic dream of Gideon's victory over the Midianites, Gideon somehow conquering thousands with a mere 300) God demonstrated his power and Gideon worshiped him accordingly.

A: It is not wrong to do great things-in fact it is a great thing, but only when it is for God's kingdom. I will not take credit for what I know to be God's talents and gifts given to me to demonstrate His power in me. I will know when thousands fall to a mere 300 I assembled, it was all the Lord's doing. I will also aspire to being greater and greater-meaning less and less, so that God's glory will never be diminished by my character.

P: God, you are worthy of all praise. For who amongst us could say we have done great things when we see that you do infinitely more beautiful works by a single breath? Lord, I pray that you may bestow a humble heart upon me, I want to do amazing things for You and Your people-would you fill me yet again with Your Spirit? Teach me not to be content with standards and norms-but rather pressing towards excellence for myself and Your church. In Christ, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria