When it comes to leadership there are many aspects one could address. What I want to do here is focus on two aspects: (1) spheres of leadership and (2) a biblical vision for leadership.
Seven Spheres of Leadership Influence
God’s creation of mankind was not arbitrary nor was it without direction. The Bible is clear that man was (1) created in God’s Image, (2) given the right to rule, and (3) instructed on how to live (Genesis 1:26-28). First, the fact that man was created in God’s image implies that God assigned man with a unique and distinct being and subsequent behavior as compared to all His creation. Man’s unique being is set apart because he reflects God. The ways he reflects God are myriad, but include at the least his form, his reason, and his right to rule. Following this is man’s behavior, which reflects God in the way he rules, the way he multiplies, and the way he bears fruit.
Thus, man—in his innocent form—was perfect and enabled to expand into God’s creation as His vice-regent reflecting and displaying God’s very nature to His creation. Man’s privilege in God’s creation drastically changed when man confused his place within God’s creation and took God’s position as arbiter of right and wrong. As we discussed earlier, what ensued were the noetic effects of the fall. And, as is the case with every human experience the effects of the fall echo unto this day.
Nevertheless, God allowed man to continue in His creation, albeit with a distorted view. The task then for man was to determine how best to live in God’s world given that it would perpetually be a challenge. Throughout history the way in which man has determined to live and abide has varied but looking around we can see at least seven spheres whereby man can continue his mandate of influencing unto the glory of God. Those seven spheres are (1) self, (2) family, (3) church, (4) community, (5) workplace, (6) friends, and (7) Government.
(1) Self
Thomas Jefferson, in his first inaugural address, stated, “Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he then be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels, in the form of kings, to govern him? Let history answer this question.”[1] To put it another way, unless man can lead himself, he is unable to effectively lead others or influence others in a way that brings lasting blessing. He’ll lead for sure, but it won’t be in wisdom without himself first being self-led. This is eruditely seen in Proverbs 25:28 which says, “Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit.” Thus, man—to have lasting influence in all other areas—must begin by influencing himself. There are at least four areas of focus when it comes to self-leadership, and they are (1) spiritual, (2) emotional, (3) physical, and (4) intellectual. As to the spiritual, if a Christian man or woman is not daily being influenced by God’s Word in some form or fashion, they cannot expect an ongoing influence of God in their life, and therefore will resort to an overprioritizing of some form and combination of experience, intuition, and prior knowledge. While this is helpful, it’s not spiritual. To be sure, our experience, intuition, and prior knowledge inform our everyday existence, but they must be filtered through the grid of truth. Therefore, for man to be leading himself spiritually, God’s Word must be viewed to him as manna was to the ancient Israelites. Note what Jesus said,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”[2]
The point Christ wanted His followers to understand was that He was the fulfillment and lasting provision of God for His people. Manna was fresh every day, was not to be stored, and was to be sought from God. The Bible—in principle—is the means through which we know about God, His Son, and His work in history. Thus, to open my Bible means that I open the pathway to God’s satiation and filling. It’s important to point out that the Christian is filled (Col. 2:9-10) through faith but is still to be hungry (Matt. 5:6). This is the Christian paradox and calls us to walk daily with our God because—as mentioned earlier—the sin that remains desires to rule.
Thus, the second facet of man ruling himself in the spiritual realm appeals to his ongoing battle against sin and his flesh. Paul was clear in Romans 8:13 that the Christian is to be putting to death the deeds of body so that he may live. This speaks to the reality of sin’s presence and man’s corrupt nature. Again, another paradox. Man can be fully regenerated by the work of the Spirt of God (Titus 3:5-7), but he must work out his salvation (Phil. 2:12) with the trust that God is working in him (Phil 2:13) and even created him for good works (Eph. 2:10). In sum, as man works out his salvation in fear and trembling, he does so in the steps of Christ (1 Peter 2:20-21) and confesses and seeks restoration when he fails to walk in God’s way (1 John 1:9).
Man is also to rule himself emotionally. Practically speaking this is being a non-anxious presence. Paul’s instruction to the Philippians provides insight as to what this means when he says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”[3]Man’s prayer life and heart of gratitude will dictate his emotions. As he aligns himself with awesome reality of God’s will, then he will bring his emotions into subjection to God’s best. Otherwise, he will be tossed around like a wave in the sea of emotions.
Third, as man seeks to control himself, he must have control over his physical attributes. These include the things he drinks, the things he eats, the amount of sleep he sets aside for himself, his exercise and fitness, the things he hears, sees, and touches. The physical aspect of self-leadership is also significant as it relates to the resurrection of the body. Number one, Paul says that deeds done in the body will be recompensed in the future (2 Cor. 5:9-10). Number two, Paul instructs Christians to cleanse themselves from all defilements of flesh (2 Cor. 7:1), and that the Christian is to glorify God in the body because the body is the temple of the living God and will be raised as members of Christ (1 Cor. 6:12-20). This requires a man to be disciplined, diligent, and to have discretion.
Fourth, a man leads himself when he focuses on his mind or his intellect. Practically, this means that he reads books. Lots of them. The fact that men don’t read is alarming. Most of my life I did not read. It wasn’t until I was in my late twenties that I picked up book after book and read. This is a source of regret for me. Much of my learning began after I picked up books to read. The fact that we have so much knowledge to gain is staggering. Up until that point, I bought into the myth that intellectual comfort was to be desired over the discomfort of continual learning. After all, I had finished college and advanced degrees, what more did I have to learn? What a joke. It wasn’t until Tommy Nelson began discipling me through books that I realized the blessing of knowledge. Such knowledge, as Proverbs 2 points out is to be sought. It’s not sitting under a lotus tree waiting for enlightenment. Rather, it’s a pursuit. Note the following:
“Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.“[4]
To conclude, a man must lead himself. He does this by leading himself spiritually, emotionally, physically, and intellectually. As his self-leadership grows, so will his effectiveness in all the other areas of his spheres of influence.
Next time, we’ll examine the second sphere of influence, the family.
[1] Thomas Jefferson, “Jefferson Papers,” The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, accessed October 26, 2022, https://jeffersonpapers.princeton.edu/selected-documents/first-inaugural-address-0.
[2] New American Standard Bible (The Lockman Foundation, 1995), v. John 6:47-52.
[3] New American Standard Bible, v. Phil. 4:6-7.
[4] New American Standard Bible, v. Prov. 2:2-6.
— October 26, 2021