2022-04-25
1 Samuel 18:9 NLT
One of the truest tests of leadership is how you respond to somebody else’s success. Do you rejoice, or secretly resent them? Do you feel like their blessing somehow came at your expense? King Saul sent David out to fight Goliath. When he succeeded and the Israelites began to sing David’s praises, Saul couldn’t handle it. “From that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.”
Leaders who lack confidence are a danger to themselves, their followers, and the groups they lead. That’s because leadership doesn’t camouflage your flaws; it puts them on display. Whatever negative baggage you’re carrying grows heavier when you attempt to lead others. Insecure leaders generally have four common traits:
(1) They don’t provide security for others. To be a good leader, you must make your followers feel good about themselves. Honor them. Reward them. Promote them.
(2) They take more than they give. Insecure leaders are on a continual search for validation, acknowledgment, and love. And because of that, their focus is on obtaining personal security, not instilling it in others.
(3) They continually limit their best people. Insecure leaders don’t see their best people as coworkers; they see them as potential competitors who might rise up through the ranks and threaten their position. Such leaders generally find ways to take the credit for work that was done by others.
(4) They continually limit their organization. When followers are undermined and go unrecognized, they become disheartened and eventually stop performing to their potential. When that occurs, the whole organization suffers.
Today, examine your leadership style and see if any of these shoes fit you.
Soul food: Dan 1-2; Matt 1:18-25; Ps 127; Pro 10:15
1 Samuel 18:9 NLT
We may never have an ‘official’ leadership role, but there are all kinds of opportunities to be role models for the people we interact with each day and the people who look up to us in some way, so it’s important that we try to show the qualities of a good leader.
One of the best tests of good leadership is how we respond to somebody else’s success. Do you rejoice, or secretly resent them? King Saul sent David out to fight Goliath, but when David succeeded and the Israelites began to congratulate him, Saul couldn’t handle it. ‘From that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.’ David’s success made Saul feel insecure about himself. Insecurity can prevent us from being good role models and leaders.
That’s because insecure leaders tend to do these things: 1) They don’t provide security for others. To be a good leader, we must try to give our followers confidence in themselves. We should encourage them and help them grow, and it’s difficult to do that if we’re feeling insecure about ourselves.
2) They take more than they give. Insecure leaders look for validation, acknowledgement, and love from the people who look up to them, rather than instilling those things in others.
3) They limit people. Insecure leaders see others as potential competitors who might threaten their position, so they might try to make others doubt their own abilities to reduce the threat. In order to be good leaders and role models, we need to be secure in who we are – and that comes from God. ‘The Father has loved us so much that we are called children of God’ (1 John 3:1 NCV). And He says to us, ‘You did not choose me; I chose you’ (John 15:16 NCV).
Dan 1-2; Matt 1:18-25; Ps 127; Pro 10:15
1 Samuel 18:9 NLV
Een van die ware toetse van leierskap is hoe jy op iemand anders se sukses reageer. Is jy bly, of voel jy in die geheim wrokkig daaroor? Voel jy of hulle op ‘n manier ten koste van jou geseën is? Koning Saul het vir Dawid gestuur om teen Goliat te gaan veg. Toe Dawid hom verslaan het en die Israeliete lofliedere oor Dawid begin sing het, kon Saul dit nie hanteer nie. ‘Van daardie dag af het Saul vir Dawid wantrou.’
Leiers wat selfvertroue kortkom is ‘n gevaar vir hulself, hulle volgelinge en die groepe wie hulle lei, omdat leierskap nie jou foute kamoefleer nie, maar uitstal. Onsekere leiers het oor die algemeen vier gemeenskaplike eienskappe:
1) Hulle voorsien nie ander mense van sekuriteit nie. Om ‘n goeie leier te wees, moet jy jou volgelinge goed oor hulself laat voel. Eer hulle. Beloon hulle. Bevorder hulle.
2) Hulle neem meer as wat hulle gee. Onsekere leiers soek aanhoudend na bekragtiging, erkenning en liefde. Dus fokus hulle om persoonlike sekuriteit te kry, eerder as om dit by ander in te boesem.
3) Hulle beperk aanhoudend hulle beste mense. Onsekere leiers sien nie hulle beste mense as kollegas nie, hulle sien hulle as potensiële kompetisie wat hulself dalk deur die range sal opwerk en hulle posisie sal bedreig. Sulke leiers vind oor die algemeen maniere om krediet vir werk wat deur ander mense gedoen is, te neem.
4) Hulle beperk aanhoudend hulle maatskappye. Wanneer volgelinge ondermyn word en nie erkenning ontvang nie, word hulle moedeloos en werk uiteindelik nie tot hulle volle potensiaal nie. Wanneer dit gebeur, ly die hele maatskappy daaronder.
Ondersoek vandag jou leierskapstyl en kyk of enige van hierdie skoene jou pas.
Sielskos: Dan 1-2; Matt 1:18-25; Ps 127; Spr 10:15
2022-04-24
Romans 6:16 NCV
Paul wrote, ‘The person you obey is your master. You can follow sin, which brings spiritual death, or you can obey God, which makes you right with him.’ When it comes to sin, the Bible draws a line and tells us not to cross it. That’s because if we cross it once, we’ll find it much easier to cross again. Paul talked about ‘the person you obey’, but we could also replace ‘person’ with ‘temptation’, or say ‘the thing you obey is your master.’
Whether our particular temptation is something like alcohol, drugs, pornography, gambling, or even something that seems less damaging, like spending a lot of time on social media or taking the car for short journey that we could have walked, we start out believing we’re in control of it, and end up realising it’s got us trapped. One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves is, ‘I can stop whenever I want to.’ But often the damage has already started.
Spiritually, we can lose our confidence before God. Personally, we can lose our sense of self-worth. Publicly, we can lose respect and influence with others. And if we’re not careful, even good things can hurt us.
A strong work ethic can lead to neglecting family and friends. Vegging out in front of the TV can slow our spiritual growth. Even too much caution and thoughtfulness – which are good qualities – can prevent us from stepping out in faith and fulfilling our God-given potential.
When God says no, He isn’t trying to make life difficult or boring; He’s protecting us. If something has the potential to trap you, don’t do it. But if you’re already feeling trapped by a temptation or habit, don’t lose hope. Turn to God and He’ll set you free.
Gen 6:9-8:4; Matt 24:37-51
Romeine 6:16 NLV
Paulus praat nie van die soort slawerny waar kinders vir sekshandel en immigrante vir dwangarbeid verkoop word wanneer hy skryf: ‘Besef julle nie dat dít waarvoor ‘n mens jou as slaaf beskikbaar stel, jou baas word nie?..’ nie. Wanneer dit by sonde kom, trek die Bybel ‘n lyn in die sand en sê vir ons om dit nie oor te steek nie. Hoekom? Omdat wanneer jy een keer oor die lyn trap, dit makliker is om dit weer oor te steek. Of jou ‘dwelmkeuse’ nou alkohol, onwettige of oor-die-toonbank dwelms, pornografie, dobbel of ooreet is, jy dink aan die begin dat jy die meester is en besef op die ou einde dat jy die slaaf daarvan is. Een van die grootste leuens wat ons vir onsself vertel, is: ‘Ek kan enige tyd daarmee ophou.’
Die Verlore Seun is vergewe en herstel, maar hy het steeds sy erflating verloor. Geestelik gesproke, kan jy jou selfvertroue voor God verloor. Persoonlik gesproke, kan jy jou selfwaarde verloor. In die openbaar, kan jy ander mense se respek en jou invloed by hulle verloor.
As jy nie versigtig is nie, kan selfs die ‘goeie’ dinge jou seermaak. ‘n Sterk werksetiek kan daartoe lei dat jy jou familie afskeep en jou huwelik verloor. Ure voor die televisie kan jou geestelike groei belemmer. Selfs te veel omsigtigheid en bedagsaamheid – goeie eienskappe – kan jou daarvan weerhou om ‘n tree in geloof te neem en jou Godgegewe potensiaal te vervul.
Wanneer God nee sê, is Hy nie besig om ‘n suurpruim te wees of om jou lewe moeilik te maak nie; Hy beskerm jou! As iets die potensiaal het om jou tot slaaf te maak, moet dit nie doen nie. As jy reeds verslaaf is, draai na God toe en Hy sal jou vrymaak.
Sielskos: Gen 6:9-8:4; Matt 24:37-51
