Issue #187, August 10, 2016
It’s always time to grow! Your personal growth has a major impact on your leadership. The writer of Hebrews shares a strong warning about the issue of timing and growth.
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:11-14).
While this passage has implications for all believers, the stakes are even higher for leaders since their own growth determines the growth of those under them. Servant leaders see and accept God’s plan for their personal growth in these verses.
Grow early.
“By this time you ought to be teachers.” Not everyone will have the gift of teaching, but God’s plan for every believer is for them to grow personally and then pass on to others what they have learned. Those who do this kind of “teaching” are influencers of others. This makes them leaders whether or not they have a position or title. The leadership vacuum we experience is not a lack of gifting but a direct result of little growth. So, the timing for growth is as early as possible. If you are just beginning your leadership journey, do all you can to grow. Invest early in your growth; it will pay rich dividends later. If you have been a leader for a long time, look at areas you still need to grow. Just because you have been a leader for years does not mean your leadership is growing! Are you increasing your impact over time? How would the sentence end if God were speaking these words to you, “By this time you ought to be….”? Servant leaders recognize that the only way to grow early is to grow now.
Grow quickly.
“You are slow to learn.” The writer is alarmed about the speed of their growth. The difference in the speed of growth is a personal choice. This is not to say that growth is a quick process; it takes time. But, servant leaders desire to grow as quickly as possible to maximize their impact. They recognize that the only way to grow quickly is to schedule time for their own growth. They are determined not to allow their busy schedules to crowd out time for their personal growth. They look for books, seminars, or other resources which can speed their growth.
Grow continually.
“Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves…” Over time personal growth leads to maturity and the ability to handle “solid food.” Maturity is the outcome of continued growth. Servant leaders recognize the compounding growth that comes as they continue to grow. They resolve never to stop growing. They value the growth that has already happened but refuse to become satisfied with where they are at. They want more growth, realizing that as they grow, they can more deeply impact others for the growth of God’s Kingdom. Servant leaders realize that their growth is their own responsibility; they have “trained themselves.” They don’t wait for others to challenge them to grow, they see it as one of their primary leadership responsibilities.
It is always time to grow. It takes time to grow. Grow early, grow quickly, and grow continually to be the leader God has called you to be! I’m growing with you!
For further reflection and discussion:
Reflect on your own personal growth with the following questions:
- How would the sentence end if God were speaking these words to you, “By this time you ought to be….”? What needs to change for me to move in this direction?
- Is my growth slow, medium, or fast? How has this impacted my leadership? What, if anything, do I need to change?
- How much of my current schedule is devoted to personal growth? What are the obstacles to growing and what do I need to do to change?
- What are the current areas of growth in my leadership? What steps could I take to speed up this growth? What will be the impact as I continue to grow in these areas?
- Are there persons to whom I should be accountable to grow or who can help me grow? What are they and when will I talk to them about my growth?