Leadership Lessons

SCRIPTURE: 3 John: 9,10
⁹ I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. ¹⁰ So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us.

OBSERVATION: Here is a leader in the church, Diotrephes, whose motivation is to be "top dog". He does not have a servant heart but is consumed with maintaining his own reputation as a great leader. Anyone who he sees as a threat to that he tries to discount by saying maliciously false things about them. It's so bad that John feels the need to make a defense for himself and those with him by calling attention to what he is doing.

APPLICATION: My husband and I have had experiences like this as pastors. Though we have never felt the need to defend ourselves, maybe we should have. Leaders who are insecure and feel a need to exalt themselves by putting others down do much to destroy the church and damage especially new believers. One of the qualities it is important to see in a godly leader is humility. Do you see a leader taking credit for all the good things that happen in the church? Then be careful. He may be more interested in building his own kingdom than God's. And when people praise me, how do I respond? This scripture is a warning to me to give the glory to God and to not think more highly of myself than I ought.

PRAYER: Father, Keep me humble, with my eyes focused on you. Let me rejoice when you use me to advance the Kingdom without letting it go to my head in any way. You are so gracious to include us in your work. When I am tested by praise, may I come out of it like refined gold. When others wrongly slander me, may I always depend on you to uphold my honor. In Jesus' Name, Amen.