And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favouritism with him. Ephesians 6:9

We all like power and authority. I’m sure you would have heard the saying that goes: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. This is true because there is something about being given a bit of authority that makes us feel good. There is something about being behind the steering wheel that gives us a sense of pleasure because we have control over others. Unfortunately many of us fail at leadership ultimately because we fail to realise that the Master of those under our care is also our Master. We fail to be like the centurion, a commander of 100 soldiers in the Roman army in Matt 8:9 who said to Jesus, “I myself am a man under authority”.

Whether you are leading your family, an army of like-minded volunteers in a Church or organisation or you are leading a team of employees, Paul urges you to lead in a similar way to the way that you would like people to follow – with humility, objectivity and fairness and ultimately with fear and trembling as a man and woman under authority yourself. Since Jesus is leading us as we lead others, we should be getting all our marching orders and blueprints from him and realising that he is the one in control, not us. Let us lead courageously and humbly. What has been entrusted to us is a privilege and not a right. We will glorify God when we lead like Jesus.

Dear Jesus, give me a heart of humility and trust as I lead so that I may lead appropriately. Enlarge my leadership ability so that I may lead strongly. Enable me to treat those under me with the respect and honour they deserve, because they are yours and not mine, so that together we may all bring honour and glory to your name.

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