Be a Good Leader

December 26, 2020

They May See Your Good Deeds and Glorify Your Father in Heaven. Matthew 5:16

I started my first leadership position in campus fellowship as a sophomore. I had a mentor named “Bob”. When I ask questions, he always listens attentivly and responds patiently. In between, he prays quite a lot. The following is a story he told me.

One day, the student asked the teacher, “If I climb to the 3rd floor, and no one around me has climbed higher. How can I be a good leader?”
“Those who climbed to the 3rd floor must tell others about the existence of a 4th floor,” replied the teacher.
“Why?” the student asked.
“If you don’t, it will become a bottleneck. If others want to climb to the 4th floor, they will be surpressed by you, driven away by you.” the teacher patiently responds.

“If I help them reach the 4th floor. Will they look down on me on the 3rd floor. Will I lose the prestige of a leader?” the student says his worries.

The teacher responds, “No, those who reach the 4th floor will be busy telling others about the 5th floor. An inspiring leader does not stand on the high ground boastfully. They tell others that it is not they who built the building, but Lord Jesus. "

This dialogue encourages a new perspective on what leadership is. A true leader is someone who wishes others to be better then themselves. Leadership is not about titles, positions, and fame. It is about the action he/she takes and the example he/she sets for others.