Leadership is about action, but responsible leadership is about responsible action.
There were a group of managers who were given 62 cards with different managerial tasks, their task was to put them in order of what they deemed to be important in regard to their role as managers. The managers who didn’t recognise the importance of responsibility were the people who were constantly overlooked for promotion. They missed the importance taking responsibility is in leadership.
When you take on responsibility as a leader, you take the weight of what that is.
Our lives are full of responsibility, even from a young age responsibility is thrust upon us, from getting ready for school to the homework we were given. As we get older you become responsible for a car, a job, marriage, your husband, or wife, being a father or mother, your children, looking after yourself- your weight etc.
We are taking more and more responsibility on a daily basis.
However, in society we see that people are less and less willing to take on responsibility. We see more divorce, abortion, neglect, and debt.
As Christian leaders our responsibility is even greater and carries more weight.
In Genesis Chapter 2 God gave Adam and Eve responsibility, he put them in charge of the garden, animals and to populate the earth. The one thing he told them not to do was to eat of one individual tree. They couldn’t handle this responsibility and they sinned. They couldn’t even take ownership over their sin, they blamed God, Adam blamed God for giving him Eve. It became all about themselves and they took on a victim mentality.
We have to take responsibility.
- Our own lives- who we are, our integrity, how we live and the discipline we have.
- Our families- looking after those around us.
- Our ministry.
All throughout the Bible we see the responsibility God gave people.
Noah had to build an Ark.
Moses had to lead a mass exodus out of Egypt to the promised land.
Abraham had to build a nation.
Nehemiah had to build a wall.
Jesus had to save the world.
As Christians, as leaders we shouldn’t be shy from responsibility, especially the responsibility God gives us.
So, what stops us?
- Fear
- Selfishness
- Insecurity
When we back away or hide from responsibility is it usually down to one of these three things, it is up to you to ask yourself what one it is for you so you can start to fight it.
We can do that by:
- Taking ownership.
- Knowing God’s voice.
- Being committed to what he has called you to do.
- Sacrifice.
- Be courageous.
- Be transparent, don’t be afraid to be open and vulnerable with people.
- Persevere.
- Give thanks, always find something to thank God for.
- Be driven.
Leaders go to the front and set an example, go alongside to be a friend and go behind to encourage and empower.
In Matthew 25 v 15 the men were given no more and no less that what they could handle. But we are the same. God gives us time, resources, and gifts, but he expects us to invest wisely until he comes back again, that is our responsibility.
Written by Stephen Crawford
