Relationship Resolution: Leading like Paul
Wherever you are currently in your walk with Christ, if you have made a commitment to follow Him, you have answered a call to serve him. Whether you are in leadership or you are part of a team or you attend a group, or you are by yourself in a far away land where you know no one, you are a servant of God and a servant serves.
When we think of service we may think of menial, subservient work but for the leaders of the bible, having the heart of a servant was the key to effective leadership. Paul was such a leader, he was one of the toughest, most passionate leaders of the New Testament. However, his work was full of heart, as he even said, he poured out all of himself into the work of God for the sake of saving souls. That is why today I want to highlight some key points from Paul’s approach to servant-leadership, that I believe we can do well to apply to our own lives, regardless of where we are in our walk with God. Let’s look at Acts 20:13-38, where Paul basically summarizes the work he had done to the leaders he had raised up, just before leaving Ephesus.
- Serve with humility (vs 19): When placed in a position of authority or have a special skill that is respected by others it can be easy to become proud and boastful. Paul, though he was one who could have boasted, never did, but rather humbly lived among those he ministered to. Humility is essential to service
- Be emotionally involved (vs 19, 37): some believe that the best way to serve is to be detached and unemotional. Yes it is important to be logical and rational when it comes to leading, but to be a servant leader there must be passion for the cause and heart for the people. The only way that this can effectively be done is to become emotionally involved in the work that you are doing. Paul was not afraid to weep through his circumstances and to care for those he discipled. If you want to be passionate about what you do, your emotions must be a part of your experience. I’m not saying to go around crying for everything but rather allow yourself to feel things, to feel sadness, to feel joy, to feel excited and hopeful, to feel hurt because these are the things that inspire praise.
- Paul preached repentance and faith to all (21): Paul had a message that he did not turn from, and that message was for everyone. When in service it is important to know what it is you stand for, what is it that you want to accomplish. Paul knew what Jesus wanted and he put his all into bringing people to repentance and faith in God. Do you know what your message is? Have you fully internalized it? If not, how can you serve effectively.
- Be obedient to the Holy Spirit (22-23): Throughout the course of Paul’s ministry he lived according to the direction of the Holy Spirit. He did not depend only on himself for direction but he understood that he was doing the Lord’s work and that meant heeding His instructions.
- Be was undeterred by persecution (23-24): In service/leadership you will face opposition and where there is opposition, persecution and trials are bound to follow. To serve like Paul means not letting that stop you from doing the work of God and being obedient to His direction
- Stay focused on the task (24): Paul did not allow himself to become distracted from what it was he had to do. In our time it is so easy to become distracted, our hearts can become so easily refocused and involved in other things. But stick to the task until God says you’re done.
- Never dilute the truth (27): One of the reasons why Paul seemed like such a hard man was because he didn’t alter the truth to please or appease anyone. As far as he was concerned any alterations to the truth could result in losing a soul. That is how important truth is.
- Care for and protect those you serve (29-31): Paul knew that once he left, the church would be more vulnerable, so he warned them about ‘wolves’ who would come in among them. How did Paul know this would happen once he left? because he must have been contending with them even then, keeping their influence from infecting the church. A servant-leader is the first line of defense and offense, so keep your guard up.
- Work hard for your needs and to help others (33-35): as a leader Paul had a good work ethic, he never depended on the ministry to care for him. If others blessed him he welcomed it, but he understood the value of putting his own hands to work to meet his needs and to help the ministry. Servant-leaders aren’t lazy.
- Prayed and cover those who serve with you (36): A servant leader covers those in his/her care with constant heartfelt prayer. Whether you are with them or away, you must constantly pray for those you serve with.
- Leave when your time is up (37-38): When the work you are doing starts flourishing it can become hard to let it go and move on. It’s easy to want to stay and enjoy the harvest of it, but being an obedient servant-leader may mean moving on. A servant-leader understands that as emotionally involved as he/she may be in the work, it’s important not to become too attached. If God has equipped you with a particular skill or passion for something, chances are He’s gonna need it in more than one place. A servant-leader understands that there may come a time when he/she would have to move on. Note Paul left when the work was done, some leave when the work gets tough, that my friend is the point where you dig in your heels and put your back into it.
This was how Paul served… with heart. He put his all into the work he did and he connected with the people he served but most of all he was obedient to what God instructed. If you are serving in any capacity in this upcoming year, resolve to be a leader who serves like Paul. Make a relationship resolution with those you serve with and with God to put your heart into it.
KellyP
Kelly is the founder of Royalty Press United. Author of the Gemstone Royals fantasy series, Twist of Faith and Crossroads. Counseling psychologist, proud Grenadian and devoted follower of Christ.
You must be logged in to post a comment.