by Don Burke, PotosiPastor@gmail.com
They just stood there – staring. Twenty-four fourth-grader eyes, and all of them looking right at me. Any other time I would just be another ten-year-old in the group. But this recess was different – and the pressure was on. Oh my…, what have I gotten myself into?! The story began with my bright idea that it would be great to have a club for my friends and me. So I told the guys in class that I was going to start a club during the afternoon recess. They must have also thought it was a good idea because about a dozen guys showed up. This was so cool! …well, it was cool until we got to the part where everyone was looking at me, wanting to know what we were going to do in this club I just started. That’s when I discovered a major oversight in my plan – it never occurred to me that starting a club meant that I would need to provide some leadership in the club. And since I wasn’t prepared to give that leadership, you won’t be surprised that the club didn’t last any longer than that one fifteen-minute recess. Okay…, lesson learned, right? Well, maybe not as much as I’d like to think. The truth is, in these years since that fourth grade experience I’ve also seen the same questioning look in other eyes – and even in my own. There was the time some fifteen years later when I married the girl that I loved and that loved me…, and soon afterwards I’m looking at myself in the mirror wondering how I’m supposed to be the leader of our new family. Or later when I accepted a promotion at work because of the new opportunities that came with it, only to soon find myself at the head of the conference table at a department meeting – my department meeting – with all eyes upon me and I had no clue what to say. And I know that many men find themselves in the same situations at times. Is there anything that can help us know how to better handle our roles as leaders? Actually, the Bible speaks to this issue, and in one particular case shows how God fashioned a remarkable leader from a very reluctant man. The man’s name was Gideon, and you can read his story in Judges 6-8. Here are some principles his story teaches us about our role as godly leaders – even when we’re not expecting or prepared for the role.
Don’t expect much help from the world around us. In Gideon’s day the enemy was poised to intimidate and even crushany leadership that would arise among God’s people. And it’s no different in our world today. What percentage of the sitcoms you’ve seen lately showed a reasonable and responsible man in
the role as the real head of his family? The typical commercial portrays men as the duffus – the man is the goofy one buying a falcon (or wishing he had), while his “normal” and in-charge wife is the one talking rationally to the insurance agent. Men, the world is out to downplay and undermine our leadership role. Don’t let the world set or suppress your pattern for leadership.
A timid start is better than no start at all. However, we must ultimately make a confident stand as we follow God’s clear directions. Gideon’s worked on his first assignment as leader in the middle of the night because he was afraid – which doesn’t exactly make him the poster boy for brave, bold leadership.
But at least he was willing to start in the right direction. Then before long he was leading with greater boldness. If you are not used to taking a stand for God in your role as a leader, do what you can (asking God for help). It may be baby steps at first, but as you continue to follow Him you will grow in your ability to confidently stand for Him.
Start by addressing the problems closest to home. So often we think of leadership as just pointing out things that others need to do. Yet Gideon’s first job as leader was not about directing others, but about taking care of a problem closer to home – he had to remove the family idols. This example illustrates that before we are in a place to lead other and point out what they need to do, we must first make sure that we are attempting to live as we should – which includes addressing the sin that is in our own life and in those for whom we are responsible. Are there sins in your own life that you haven’t repented of? Are there issues in your family that you have failed to lovingly yet unflinchingly address? Leadership starts with how we deal with issues within ourselves and those situations closest to us.
Our directions must come from God. Gideon was able to lead only as he followed the directions that God gave him. If we men are to be godly leaders, we must know and live by what the Bible says. This means we need to make a habit of sitting under good Bible teaching and preaching. It also means that we need to personally read God’s Word regularly and live by what we learn from it.
Be ready to do the unthinkable. Contrary to what most military strategists would advise in such situations, God chose to par down the size of the Israelite army before they faced their enemies. “This is absolutely crazy,” the people – including Gideon – possibly thought. But the plan worked. And so will whatever God leads you to do as you follow His direction…, even if everyone (including you) thinks that it is crazy.
We must find strength in God’s calling, not our circumstances or natural abilities. Gideon argued that he was poor leadership material – that he was the last man that anyone would choose for the job. I’ve felt that way…, and I imagine most of you men have, too. But God has given us the roles of leadership in our families, our churches, and other places; and since He has called us to these roles, we can find the strength we need in Him.
Be careful that you don’t distract others from focusing on God. The Bible shows that Gideon was both a success and a failure in this area. On the one hand, he refused to let the people make him king, telling them that they instead needed to focus on God as their king. Yet on the other hand, he made an ephod for himself. (It seems that this type of ephod was a special garment designed by God to be worn by the priests, and one of its purposes was to reveal His will in special circumstances). The ephod that
Gideon made became a distraction for the people, drawing their attention and commitment away from God. As God uses you as a leader, be careful to try to avoid those things that will cause others to be distracted from their focus on God.
God will provide assurance as you are faithful to him. At various times (including the dew on the fleece, the enemy’s dream) God gave Gideon assurance that he was on the right track. My experience is that God still does the same thing today to those who are genuinely committed to Him. If you are committed to follow Him and need a little assurance of His help or His directions, just ask. I am no longer in the fourth grade, but the pressure is still on – it’s on me, and it’s on you, too. All eyes are upon us. Others are looking to us to step up and provide the leadership in our families, at our jobs, in our churches, and more. Has God given you a role as leader – maybe a role that you feel as unfit for as Gideon did? The lessons of Gideon give us confidence to shoulder these God-given roles and become the leaders that God calls us to, and that the people in our world desperately need us to be. Men, may this be our challenge to man-up to the leadership roles God has given us – and may we “act like men” (1 Corinthians 16:13) in accepting this challenge.
