Shepherd Leadership- FRIDAY

Jesus was fully God, for He was and is the exact imprint of God (see Hebrews 1:3).  Jesus was also fully man, for He was cut, He bled, He died and He was dependent on the Father to both empower Him to show Him what to do, and raise Him from the dead.  He led, but He was also led.  He led, but He also followed.  This is that necessary dependence He had on the Father and likewise it shows the necessary dependence we have on the Holy Spirit. We require this dependence on Him to be a Shepherd Leader.  How does that work?

For 15 years I have been placed in a leadership position with Influencers.  I did not ask for it, I did not seek it, neither did I aspire to it.  I only sought to follow my King's leadership every day.  I sought to be so surrendered to Him that I could be His voice of encouragement and His hands of love to embrace a hurting person.  I became a writer not because I wanted to write a book and be an author, but rather to listen to my Lord and simply transfer what He had said to me to others.  This is still my practice.  But then a ministry grew up around me where men who were helped began to help others and these leaders were doing the same as I.  Before long I began to understand why God appointed me to lead, for I desired to lead people to what I had found in Jesus and this delights Him.  The passion I felt was not to be seen or respected or entitled as a leader, but rather to serve God's family and help them find the Treasure I had found.  These are characteristics of a shepherd, but I didn't know it at the time.  This is important to understand.  Why is it important?  It goes to motive.  I didn't seek to be this leader but simply sought to love my King by serving others and lead them to Him at any point of life they were in.  Like Jesus who became our leader because He followed His leader, we follow our Leader and become a leader like Him.  Because we have a different motivation, we have a different style from the world and a different result.  It shows, and it will influence others as nothing else can.  This is how a Shepherd Leader is raised up.

What are the results of this leadership form?  Well to be frank, all other forms will produce only what man can create, for they are man determined and limited to only what man can produce.  The Shepherd Leader form is empowered by the Holy Spirit and this will allow Him to produce what He can produce.  So a choice must be made to go down a worldview path created through trial and error by experienced leaders who have created a "best practices" form, or to chose a form that Jesus shows us how to use.  Which do you want?

I must warn you that to serve someone as Jesus did is not always the popular path.  In fact, Jesus said that following Him is like entering a narrow gate that few travel on for the path beyond the gate is difficult.  To be a Shepherd Leader and lead by serving someone like Jesus did will not stroke your ego.  Sometimes you will feel abused and taken advantage of.  This goes with the territory.  But what also goes with the territory is the applause of heaven, for God is delighted by this leader.  Jesus is delighted in the man or woman who leads like He did, for He knows this man's heart and agenda.  He knows our motivation and because of it He is ready to pour His blessings on our leadership, whether it be in our office or in our home.  So the question is do you want to be a Shepherd Leader?  Then ...