I want to start off by telling you that I was put on this earth to become a leader. I am not bragging so please don't take that the wrong way. Though I may not like it, I understand my calling. I know why God put me here. But there is something you need to know. I just recently realized my calling and the many challenges that go with it. I want to share a verse that I read this week that goes along with understanding your calling. It comes from 2 Peter 1:10-11 and it reads like this in the ESV.
2 Peter 1:10-11
English Standard Version (ESV)
10 Therefore, brothers,[a] be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Peter is talking about your calling as a christian and stresses that we keep what we are taught and practice them. He is mainly talking about our calling to a relationship with Christ. We should remember what we learn as Christians and grow on it, never forgetting it. This will make our lives, not necessarily easier (because God never told us it was going to be easy), but easier to deal with. I want to go a little further in saying that we are also called into a certain service to aid God in his plans. These services are mainly accomplished through our talents. We are all very different individuals and all have our own talents. My talents may or may not be the same as yours. We all have a purpose and a plan to fulfill while here on earth. I will go on to say that even people's mistakes, sins, and non believers are used in God's Plan. So many people go through life not understanding their calling. Some search and never find and others never even bother to look. I was one that searched and I thought I never would find my calling when in fact it was right in front of me. I just did not let the Lord lead me to it. I tried to find it on my own. Now, like I said above, I now know what my calling is. It is to be a leader. This is a very broad calling because I could be a leader in any situation or in any job. When I searched for my calling I focused to much on if I was in the right occupation. But what really mattered the most is that I am supposed to be a leader in everything that I am involved in. So this is why I want to talk about leadership. I feel like many of us are called to be leaders, especially in our families. Some are not cut out to be leaders. Leadership can be a small task such as raising your kids or it can be something larger such as being a leader at work, church, large organizations, and even government. That is why I say it is a broad subject. For me, it is a calling to be a leader in everything I do.
Let's talk about what it means to be a leader. In every issue of the Christian Sportsman Magazine (You can purchase a subscription by joining CSF at our website www.christiansportman.com), there is an article published by a great friend and mentor, Hank Hough. Hank is founder of Kingdom Dog Ministries. (You can find a link from this blog to his website). In this issue, he talks about leading the pack. Hank tells about a friend that explains sled dogs to him in an interesting way. Here is a little portion of the article.
"Hank, there is only one dog on an Alaskan sled team that actually gets a change of Scenery, and that is the LEAD DOG," He then said, "and do you know what the rest of them are looking at"? Now, it is difficult not to smile when you think of that, but what a potentially deceptive description about a leader. We in America tend to picture the lead dog on a leisurely slow run thru the country side. When in truth the lead dog is not enjoying the scenery he is on-guard for those that are behind him. His eyes are consistently searching for perils, holes, drop offs, weak ice, slides, etc. It is his legs that clear the path of vines for the others to follow. It is his body that blocks the blinding snow for those behind him. It is he that finds the trail, holds the trail, and faces the risk on the trail first. It is a life that few are prepared for, or even really want.
This is a really simple way to look at leadership. If you have ever watched a movie or saw pictures of a dog sled team, then you can picture this scenario. I look at it as we are the dog team and the musher is God. You see, that lead dog would be nothing more than a dog if it were not for the training and direction of the musher (Master). With out the Musher, this lead dog has no purpose. God is in control of our lives and he has a purpose for us. Even those of us that are not lead dog material. Lets take a moment to look at what Wikipedia says about dog sledding.
"Assembling a dog sled team involves picking leader dogs, point dogs, swing dogs, and wheel dogs. The lead dog is crucial so mushers take particular care of these dogs. Important too is to have powerful wheel dogs to pull the sled out from the snow. Point dogs (optional) are located behind the leader dogs, swing dogs between the point and wheel dogs, and team dogs are all other dogs in between the wheel and swing dogs and are selected for their endurance, strength and speed as part of the team".
Focus on one part of this explanation of the sled team. "The lead dog is crucial so mushers take particular care of these dogs." When you decided to be a lead dog for God, he will take care of you. He will make sure that you have every provision. Every blessing. But, be prepared because as you read above, the lead dog position is not for the faint of heart. Not everybody is cut out to be the lead dog but God can still use you too. As you see the sled team is a team. Every dog has it's own purpose. We have our own purpose here on earth. Each of us has that task to accomplish. It is this team that fulfills the mission of the musher. Let's go back to the lead dog because this team is nothing with out him. He is nothing with out his team too. The lead dog is a special kind of dog. He is hand selected by the master for the purpose of leading his team. Let's read a little further into the Article "Leading The Pack".
"Great leaders have multiple characteristics, but there is one common characteristic among them all. They are always meek. Isn't that a surprise? I thought it was the alpha, the dominant, the fastest, best athlete, most intelligent that got to lead. No, it is the meek. Now most leaders do have some to many of the above characteristics, but these characteristics alone, or by themselves produce terrible self serving leaders. So what does the word meek mean? It does not mean weak, mousy, frail, or afraid like America thinks it does. The word meek is an ancient agricultural term that describes the condition of a farm animal. When a powerful animal such as a giant bull or large horse chooses to use his strengths to SERVE OTHERS he was said to have become MEEKED. It is the greatest of the characteristics of a leader. It is the use of his strengths, his talents, his abilities to serve (not himself) but others.
Wow, I never knew that but it makes perfect since. A great leader is willing to serve others. Being a leader means making scarifies. It means making sure your team is taken care of even if it means putting your body in harms way. It means making sure your team's every need is taken care of before you rest. It means giving every part of you to serve. It even means knowing when to back down and letting someone else take the lead. Hank goes on to say this "They are not so much independent as they are aware of what is going on around them, and contrary to popular belief they don't always have to lead. They are excellent followers." Folks, this is not for everybody. It is a tough life. It is physically and mentally challenging. It takes character. Hank says "Character must come from somewhere down in their hearts."
I want to ask you one question in closing. Are you up for the challenge
? Are you lead dog material? I think we are commanded to be lead dogs in certain situations. Especially fathers. You may not have what it takes to be a grandiose type of leader but you can lead in your home. If you have kids, you have the most difficult job ever. You can also lead in your church. You don't have to be a Deacon or Elder or even a preacher. Some one has to lead the many activities and daily life of the church. A lot of this leadership is done behind the scenes. You see there are many situations that your leadership is needed. My challenge to you today, is to find your spot in the sled team. The great musher needs you and everything you have to offer. Don't hold back and always make sure that God is in the lead in your hearts. With that that said, no task is to large.
God Bless, Jay
Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me.
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