The defective Christian leader has a really effective punch to throw in defective leadership:
GOD.
God is the Christian defective leader's "ace-in-the-hole" for the ultimate in condescension and control.
"God told me to tell you this."
"Do a good job, now...God likes thoroughness."
"Did you double check your work? God hates mistakes."
What it amounts to is that for many so-called Christians, Christianity is a matter of who can exhibit the best behavior.
But Isaiah 64:6 tells us: "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
By this we know that our behavior can never please God in-and-of-itself.
If it could, Christ's trip to the cross was for nothing, for we could effect our own salvation by right behavior.
When another tells you that God told him this or God told her that, you are up the proverbial creek.
Can't argue with God.
Does God like perfection?
Well, yes, He does.
In fact He inspired Matthew to record the words of Jesus: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)
This, of course, is talking about showing love to the unlovely.
The entire book of Job is about self-proclaimed religious people who used their religion to try to convince Job that he was doing something wrong in God's eyes.
God said of them: "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." (Job 42: 7b)
In the end, it was Job who was instructed to pray for them, not them for him.
A real leader would NEVER play the "God card."
Only a dysfunctional, deffective leader would.
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6 comments:
Hi Joe,
These two posts could be applied to any area of leadership; Marriage, Parenting, Pastoring, doing business, and doing ministry. What great pitfalls we can avoid. Thanks for being a good minister, and pointing these out.
John
j.wendell:You are so right! I had not thought of those applications (though I'm certain at some point I might have).
Amen brother...you're preachin' to the choir! I agree so much, and I am frustrated so often...I really have learned to bite my tongue...not much left, but I've done it!
bonni calhoun: Between my tongue being sore from spending so much time in my cheek and being bitten, it's a wonder I have any left at all.
Did you mention leaders who leave the dirty work to their assistants, so as not to take the heat personally?
Now Joe,
Which camp of leader would you fall into? I hope you're not going to tell us that 'God told you to write this' are you?
Many times, Chirstian's need to be reminded of Jesus, the King of Kings, the Head of his Body. How did/does He lead? sure He instructed, chastised and taught but He also healed, fed, served, and died for His followers.
He led by example, not only by order.
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