Achieving Leaders

Achievements are simply examples of what God can do through someone's life. The most effective leaders spoken of in the Bible, for instance, had little awareness of the impact of their lives on others. They were too busy obeying God to keep track of their own successes.

Ezra is a man who did that. He focused on obeying God. As a result - and probably to Ezra's surprise - God used him in mighty ways. I want to be a man who fits that description like Ezra. I sometimes pray that God will help me to get so focused on Him and His will that I lose all track of my success and my failures.

People like Ezra - whom God uses to do great things - all seem to do three distinct things that seem to be fundamental to their overall success.

First, they dedicate their lives to personally studying God's Word. They don't outsource their knowledge of God and His ways to anyone else. They have firsthand knowledge of God and His will.

Second, they intend to apply and obey personally the commands that they discover in God's Word - no matter what they are.

Third, they are committed to teaching others God's Word and its practical applications in every day life.

So it seems that God uses just about anyone from any walk in life. But the common denominator is this pursuit of God and His Word and this commitment to discipleship.

Why then do we keep talking about leadership? How is it that zillions of dollars are spent by seemingly intelligent and sincere people pursuing an understanding of leadership. We all want to learn how to be leaders. So many of us can talk about types of leaders or styles of leadership. Seriously, is there such a thing as leadership? Isn't it a by-product of character?

I'm convinced that the we should be not be pursuing leadership and trying to take certain virtues with us into it. Rather, we should be pursuing the virtues and expecting leadership to develop. At least historically, that's when worthwhile things really do get accomplished!