Vol. 2, No. 21 – 2017
If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Galatians 5:25
There are many that aspire to leadership; however, a large number of leaders do not want to be subject to any leadership. In order to be successful, a leader must recognize their position as a following leader. That is to say, a leader must submit to the One True Leader. Rarely does the leader admit that they are expected to be a servant-leader.
Leadership in the flesh and leadership in the Spirit are opposites. They head in opposite directions. They are actually in conflict with each other. They bring different and most often opposite outcomes.
Do not miss the obvious here! There are no other alternatives that can capture our servant-leadership. We may not like to hear this, but we are susceptible to one direction or the other—being led by the flesh or led by the Spirit. There is no plan B, C, D, E, or F.
Paul’s appeal is for us to make right choices. The reason he says this is because he has already looked inward to himself. He has evaluated himself on the basis of the truth that is before him. That is why he can say, “Let us not become conceited, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one another” (vs. 26). It is always important to do introspection before offering constructive criticism toward another.
The original text uses the picture phrase of “keep in step.”
- Keeping in step is a servant-leadership issue.
- Keeping in step responds to the One True Leader that is walking beside you
- Keeping in step disallows our doing our own thing
- Keeping in step requires yielding or submission to another
- Keeping in step requires a servant-leader to allow another the initiative
- Keeping is step requires a servant-leader to allow another the guidance over their affairs
- Keeping in step allows the One True Leader to call the shots
- Keeping in step is a choice we make
When the servant-leader keeps in step, the daily decisions made always fall under the determined plan of the One True Leader.
The question then remains:
Who is out in front of you in your life these days?
