Issue #106, May 22, 2013
Paul next turns his attention to a heart issue of great importance to all leaders, “not violent but gentle.” (1Tim 3:3) In that short phrase, Paul radically redefines what it means to lead. Most cultures honor military heroes, warriors who destroy all opposition by force and we honor those who push their way to victory. Our national heroes ride gallant horses or fighter jets. They have power and use it violently to accomplish their objectives. Not many heroes are characterized by gentleness, but Paul calls each of us to lead, not with violence, but gentleness. What does it mean for us to lead in this way?
Gentle leaders surrender their own agenda.
All leaders have a cause that gives them energy to move forward. Sadly, for most leaders, the cause is their own. They lead to accomplish their own agendas, and build their own kingdom. They are filled with desire to see their vision accomplished and use their power in any way possible to see it come to pass. No price is too great for their vision; they are determined to leave their mark on the world. Unfortunately, the mark has often been made with pain, division, blood and tears as leaders violently pursue their selfish agenda. Christian leaders can quickly add a thin veneer of spirituality to their goals but at the root, it is about their desires, not God’s. Paul calls leaders to surrender their own agenda, yielding their leadership to God’s agenda and to replace a violent, pushy spirit with gentleness. This requires a deep brokenness to the plan of God and a recognition that all power comes from Him and is to be used for His purposes. There is no shortcut to this kind of brokenness as it demands a surrender of our own will to the Lordship of Jesus. Then, and only then, can a leader confidently, but gently, lead others to fulfill God’s plans.
Gentle leaders influence from below.
At first glance, it would seem that gentle leaders don’t have a chance to make it in our competitive world. Jesus words, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5) seem impossible for the 21st century. Leaders who exert power and use force seem to have more influence. But Paul recognizes that as servant leaders reject violence, they are in a position to influence from below. Their gentle spirits reflect a quiet strength of character that over time allows them to influence others in greater and more transformative ways than those who use their positions and power to influence others. Martin L. King, Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela are recent examples of the way leadership can be exerted without positions and without violence.
Gentle leaders fight only for others.
Servant leaders are not weak leaders but they use their positions and influence to fight for others rather than themselves. They use their influence to fight for righteousness and justice. They champion the cause of the person with no voice and no influence. This is selfless leadership and gentle strength.
Moses is a biblical example of a gentle leader. In his youth he tried to accomplish God’s plan through violence, but he later learned what it meant to lead with gentleness. He gently led through the rebellion of Korah, a test which would have caused many of us to use our power with force. He cried out to God for the sake of even those who troubled him and earned the title of the meekest man on the earth. (See Numbers 12:3) Take a moment to reflect on what most characterizes your leadership, violence or gentleness.
For further reflection and discussion:
- Is my leadership about myself or God? (Don’t answer this too quickly!) Has there been a turning point in my leadership journey where I consciously surrendered my agenda to God’s agenda?
- Would others describe my leadership as pushy or gentle? In what ways has this been evident in my leadership in the past week?
- When is the last time I used my influence to fight for someone without a voice?