What a wonderful privilege it is to serve Him. The joy of watching others grow in Him due to our influence is so satisfying. At the same time, it is a sobering responsibility that we carry and it affects every aspect of our lives. I have been re-reading through the books of Timothy looking for the wisdom Paul shared with Timothy on how to be a good leader. These books are filled with guidelines, standards and encouragement on how to function as good leaders.

One of the struggles leaders face is the pressure to “know it all”. People ask all sorts of questions, and we can find ourselves quickly out of our areas of “expertise”. Knowing how to respond to such questions—even if we are the ones asking ourselves is thought provoking.

The last two issues we have been focusing on “Friendship Matters”. This poem reflects the desperate need for godly friendship and is a reminder of the needs of those we have been called to serve.

My Friend
My friend, please hear me -
I want to tell you about the pain in my heart
I want to share it, I want you to know –
I don’t want to burden you though.
Sometimes I feel that I might be too much
Weighing you down as I share;
Sometimes I feel you won’t want to know –

Dear Sisters, I join with the Apostle Paul in His declaration: Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Philippians 1:3

Do people really prefer not getting involved? Staying disengaged? Here are some of the most common perspectives and excuses given for why volunteers won’t!

Picture a plant being transplanted into a garden. This soil has been tilled and softened, rocks removed. The plant is placed into the ground, its roots begin to reach deep into the earth, becoming strong and fruitful. The gardener has faith that this plant will grow and bear fruit. He expects that, periodically, the plant will still need to be checked for insects, diseases and be pruned. This plant has been “accepted”.

What does Jesus really look like? This question comes to me every year or two where I just have to re-evaluate all that is in my life so that I can let go of and shake off all that is not Him.

It always begins with, would I recognize Jesus if I saw Him in the flesh today? Does He look like a particular church, belief or faith? What would He be doing or saying?

Once again I have to go back to the scriptures only to get frustrated that my life as well as a lot of other Christian’s lives just don't look like Him in so many areas.

Learning to lean upon God and His understanding is critical in moving forward in our personal walk with the Lord. It is also critical to model this for those we lead. Whether we like to accept the fact or not, we are influencers. We either model the leaning stance, or we are modeling walking in our own strength.

Confrontation is a very effective, useful tool when used correctly. It can prevent heartache or shipwreck. It can bring balance and health. But it can also cause woundings and divisions that can take years to heal when done badly. My purpose in writing this article is to help us learn how and when to use confrontation as a leader. I know that confrontation does not come easy to most leaders….and indeed, it should not. This is not something that should be undertaken lightly but with much prayer and consideration.

Parents of babies and toddlers work very hard to protect them from either dangers of which they are unaware or things they are not mature enough to understand. Bumper pads in the crib to protect their little heads, safety latches on cabinets to keep them from getting into cleaning products. Little folks aren’t mature enough to use judgment about whether to drink them or clean with them.