To Lead is to Serve

Yo,

One thing I was thinking about a lot today while I was at work (my third shift. xP 3 more this week. I got to meet, or I guess re-meet, one of the new produce guys who used to work pushing carts) was this idea of leadership as a supportive role. One thing I have mentioned many times before was the thought that I'm really not a leader, but prefer the behind the scenes supportive roles. This summer I was challenged as to how my roles, which I though of so little as being part of 'leadership' were actually very much beneficial to the guys I was leading and that qualities such as empathy, delegation, overseeing, shepherding, encouragement, time management, organization, team planning, mentoring, and others, although not the typical image of leadership where the most important guy just kinda does what he thinks is best and everyone follows in his wake, are all great characteristics of leaders.

So, in my next year where I have been given (and have accepted humbly) the role of key student leader at Carleton P2C-S, which although I foresaw me eventually getting into this position, I never thought I would be qualified. My image of a leader was not the idea I would in any way want: the center of attention, making huge decisions for the group, and essentially being the one driving the ministry with others just following what I say. However, seeing the position as one in which I am to serve all the others and really oversee the ministry so that it can really be owned by each of the students involved; that is something I am so excited about!

This summer I have a number of things to prepare for and pray for so that I can be sure we have really put our best effort into the work at hand and not just naively praying without doing anything: I want to put that faith into action and do all we can!

The main point of the second thought is this: I am not a lone leader doing things by myself for myself; I am a dispensable temporary leader whose main role is to encourage and equip others to the ministry that God is calling them to and to build up future leaders. My role is to serve the others and make God (in our lives as well as in our focuses) increase as we decrease and allow Him to be the true leader. Is our mission one of men or of God? Are we continuing by the flesh where we had started and had been called by the Spirit? If that were the case we would fail miserably and be utterly foolish. May God continue to be the focus and true leader of our ministry!

Word.

Ttyl.

D.Fa