Memorise:
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. John 13:14
Read: Daniel 2:46-49
46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
Message
Daniel purposed in his heart not to partake of the king’s meat (Daniel 1:8). He denied himself all the goodies associated with classical palatial living because he wanted to make a difference among his peers. Anyone who aspires to be a leader must be self-disciplined, carefully choose the kind of people he or she associates with and must consciously cultivate habits that will distinguish him or her Like Daniel, leaders must fear God and be prayerful, respect authority, be diligent and have a penchant for hard work. Going by his personal testimonies, young David was diligent in keeping his father’s flock, and God rewarded him with a kingdom (1st Samuel 17:34-35). The way Joshua and Caleb delivered a minority report after returning from their assignment is a good example of how to have the right attitude when confronted with challenges (Number 14:6-8). Their level of faith in the Lord God determined their attitude and degree of courage. They admitted that indeed there were giants in the land and the walls were tall, but they confessed that the Lord would deliver the enemies into their hands. No wonder at age 85, Caleb could say, “Give me this mountain!” (Joshua 14:12). He knew it was not by his frail power or might but by the spirit of God. That is an attitude fired by faith.
A good leader is a regenerated, distinguished personality (John 3:3). Because he draws his energy and inspiration from the Word of God, he therefore mediates on it habitually. The Word of God dwells in him richly, and he takes delight in living a righteous life. He is conscious of the right people to associate with, and he walks in the perfect will of God. He is one who makes a difference among his peers, and must have been a good and consistent follower. He is a man of great and mighty vision, who remains focused at all times. He is a selfless and courageous champion on fire for God, a go-getter, very humble and willing to learn from others. When the young Joseph caught the vision of his future greatness, he developed the right attitude to remain focused. His attitude was spiced with integrity. He refused to be distracted, not even by the juicy mouth-watering offer of his master’s wife.
Leadership by example can be summarised with two words: “GOOD SUCCESS” (Joshua 1:8). Because a good leader is connected to his source – God, he is ever fruitful, ever buoyant, ever prosperous, ever peaceful and ever joyful. Simply put, good leadership guarantees a holistic fulfilled life which in turn rubs off on any given human system.
Key point :
You cannot lead successfully if you have failed as a follower.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : DANIEL 5:13-7:8 and MATHEW 2:19-3:17
AUTHOR : Pastor E.A. ADEBOYE
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