Over the last several years, I have talked a lot about how leadership can be learned in my children’s ministers leadership club. Leadership, like any skill, can be increased and strengthened. But before you can know what your next leadership level is, you must first locate your present leadership level. A great place to start is to identify where you are by comparing where you think you are now to where you esteem the top is. Identify perfection, then consider yourself.
My mom always told me things are not as bad as I think they are, and that I was not as wonderful as I think I am. It’s somewhere in between. Make sure you compare your definitions with that of the leaders above you. What is a five to you might not be a five to me. It really doesn’t matter where you think you are. Align your thinking with that of the leaders above you. Be honest! Are you a legend in your own time or a legend in your own mind?
Realize definitions change with time. “Big” and “busy” are both relative terms. My definition of a big church or a busy life has changed as my abilities and experiences have changed. Another way to determine your present level of leadership is to examine and rate your efficiency and abilities in every area of your life. Including your walk with the Lord, your family, your finances, and even your work.
What would happen if your responsibilities, your stress, and your workload all doubled? This is exactly what has happened to me five times since 1993. It forced me to learn delegation, to make lifestyle changes and to stop doing things that I was doing that someone else could do and grow and strengthen my own leadership to do what only I could do. At the time, I thought I was in over my head. I was—without the Lord—but with Him all things are possible.
Sometimes the best thing to get us to grow is to come face-to-face with the largest challenge we’re ever faced. It sure worked for David. David was given an opportunity to be used by God to solve a problem for the army of Israel. The soldiers as well as King Saul saw Goliath too big to defeat. David saw the same challenge but instead of seeing him too big to defeat, he saw Goliath too big to miss. David knew the God that had to strengthen him before He would help him again.
