Leadership

In light of the upcoming primaries, I have been thinking a LOT lately about what it means to be a leader and what to expect out of those in leadership positions....

This is a topic that is so extensive and has so many facets and nuances that I cannot cover the extent of what this topic could be about. Nor is a blog really a forum for the fullness of what I could write here, but I thougt I would give a brief synopsis of what I have been learning lately.

There is one aspect of I have been realizing: how high my expectations are for those who are in leadership positions....whether it be in job, family, church or country. I have such a high standard and I have been wondering have I been not only expecting the wrong things from them, have I been looking for the wrong things all together? I have realized how much expect them to be perfect, more perfect than anyone could be.

The Lord has been speaking to me about how when I look at outward behavior in people I will ALWAYS be disappointed and how much I can get caught up in the details rather than the bigger picture. I won't be able to see the forest for the trees. If I am looking at things that people do right or wrong, I will ALWAYS be able to find something. I mean, I look at the Bible itself...it is littered with leaders who messed up, and messed up pretty royally too. David himself, the "leader of leaders" in the Bible slept with a married woman, got her pregnant, killed her husband to marry her, lied and covered it up!! That is a pretty hefty laundry list of sins! Yet, at the end of the day, what did the Lord say about David? He was a man after God's own heart.

And so, really, I am realizing more and more how MUCH more important the hearts of those leading me is!! Really, the Lord is ALWAYS more concerned with hearts than behaviors...you know? And so, what I am looking for in those who are leaders....what are their hearts, where are their hearts? I am crying out daily for the Lord to show me the hearts of leaders in my life: family, church, job and our country.....LORD show me their hearts!!!

I can guarantee you that those who lead will mess up...they are human and just like all of us have flesh that is wicked and deceitful above all else, they are not exempt from that! But above all, I want to know their hearts....that is what I am concerned with more than anything else. Once I believe what the Lord is showing me about their hearts, then I can proceed.

Obviously some people's hearts are harder to discern....I don't personally know President Bush for example. And so, this is taking a lot of faith on my part....to trust the Lord that He will show me what I need to know!!
Be blessed,
Erin