When it comes to leadership, most of us fall into two categories.
First, there is the “failure to launch” leader. Do you know that movie Failure to Launch? The one with Matthew McConaughey? McConaughey plays the main character who never leaves his parents’ house. He just stayed there, playing video games and hanging out with friends. It’s time for some of us to ask ourselves what’s holding us back? He never wanted to step out and be all to which he was called. But we have no excuse to not be a part of what God has called us to in life.
Others of us have recognized that we’re leaders and we’ve launched into leadership like an astronaut in a space shuttle. But, here’s the problem—you’re the only passenger. You’re headed to the top doing your thing—moving, grooving, slaying, taking land—just going for it. But you have not brought any women with you along the journey to mentor. There’s no passing of your baton. God is challenging me and challenging you to bring other women alongside us in leadership. No matter where you are in life, look around for other God-honoring women and encourage them keep walking with integrity.
Bringing others along can look as simple as living in integrity. For example, I make a point to avoid gossip. When I come across it in conversation, I try to find a gentle way to end that train of talk. I’ll say something like, “We’re not going to tear them down with gossip. We don’t know their story or their situation.” This is leading in the moment, and those around us might be encouraged to follow along as we try to live with integrity. Whether you’re in high school or college, bottom rung at your corporation or in the c-suite, you can lead in this way. Gossip happens in the workplace and with stay-at-home moms but we can lead by not gossiping and challenging others to do the same. We can also lead by not filling in the wrong blank when we don’t understand something. When someone doesn’t call us back, we can lead in that moment by giving the benefit of the doubt to that person. Isn’t that good?
Bringing others along as we lead can look a lot of ways. My friend, Albany, is a girl boss in real estate, serves at my church, and also mentors other people on her journey. My friend, Rachel, the worship leader at my church, just pours out her life while being a fantastic mother. From the time her son, Harrison, was just six weeks old, she was breastfeeding in between leading worship and still leading like a boss by pastoring, loving people, and singing. She is launching into God’s call on her own life, but she’s also raising up an army of younger worship leaders to do the same. Another friend, Summer Graham, who is a major event planner, just had a new baby and still shows up to serve at my church every week. She leads serving teams with strength and grace.
The key is that we have to teach others to walk in their calling and equip them along the way. You can be rocking and rolling, doing your own thing, but teach somebody else what you’re doing so they can learn and succeed as well. Then when it’s time to pass your baton like Elijah, you have an Elisha who is ready to take up your mantle so the mission doesn’t end with you.
Ephesians 4:1 says, “In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the master, I want you to get out there and walk. Better yet—run on the road God has called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands.” Isn’t that good? Paul says, “I don’t want anyone strolling off.” Some women have just strolled off from their call and this Scripture wants to grab them by the hand and say, “Come back. God’s waiting for you.” The verse continues, “If they don’t return, they go down a path that leads nowhere.” Ephesians 4:2 says, “Let’s mark our lives with humility and discipline, not in fits and starts, but steadily.” I love that the verse admonishes us to stay steady, stay the course, and stay the path. The verse continues, “pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love.”
There are a few disciplines we need to master to lead effectively.
Lead Your Mind
The first one is to lead your thoughts. As a leader, which you all are, God has called you to lead no matter if you’re in school, at home, or in the workplace. No matter where your feet touch, you’re called to lead. Let’s be leaders in our responses and our attitudes. How about that? Let’s be leaders in our mindsets.
No one else can lead your mind except you.
When we notice we’re thinking overly negative thoughts about ourselves or others, we are the best person—the only person—who can effectively interrupt those thoughts and replace them with the truth of God’s word. When fearful ideas rise in our minds, we can compassionately lead ourselves by slowing our thoughts down, and thinking carefully about whether what we fear is real or not, reasonable or not, and then consider what we should do about it.
We have a lot more power to change the way you think than we realize.
Lead for Legacy
We lead because of the legacy of women who have gone before us. Sometimes we just take women’s contributions for granted, but there was a day when women couldn’t vote and didn’t have a voice. There was a time when our opinions didn’t matter. There was a time when we were looked over. There was a time when a woman would have been skipped over for a job in favor of a man. Now, those days are fading and we do have a voice. It’s so important that we realize that other women fought for our current rights and we can’t take their effort for granted. We have to use the leverage they gained for God’s glory. He’s called us to conquer, to take land, and to do amazing things for His kingdom. But we have to know that our current position comes from the strength and the sacrifice of a generation that’s gone before us.
We have a great cloud of witnesses of women in heaven that are saying, You do it, girl. You get that baby ready and you get to church and you host. You do it, girl. You go back to school and get that degree. You do it, girl. You tell people about Jesus on your campus and invite them to church.
All the women who paved the way for us are cheering us on, along with all the women in the Bible. We have to stand on their shoulders. It’s time for us to pick up the cloak and to stand tall and steward the calling of God well. Someone had to make a way for us. Let’s go first to make a way for those behind us. Let’s be the ones who are ushering in revival and leading others toward salvation. Invite people to your church. Invite them to come to know Christ. Have someone over for coffee, tell them your story, and invite them to come to know Jesus. I came to know Jesus because someone just invited me to church and my life was changed.
So many women fought so many battles and sacrificed so much, many giving their lives, so that we could have an inheritance and be daughters of Christ Jesus. Let’s keep that momentum going. We don’t want to leave the cloak on the floor. We’ve got to pick it up and carry it by telling other people about God’s goodness and faithfulness.
Lead When It’s Hard
The third discipline is to lead when it’s hard. We have to lead when it’s hard and even when it’s not convenient. When we are pressed on every side by troubles, we’ve still got to lead and step into God’s calling on our lives. II Corinthians 4:8 says, “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed.” I don’t know what’s pressing you right now. I don’t know what’s pressing on your mind. I don’t know what’s pressing on you at home. I don’t know what’s pressing on you and your family. Sometimes family can cause drama. But listen—we are pressed on every side with troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed; sometimes we don’t understand why something’s happened. When situations occur that make no sense at all, we’re not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. For those of you reading who have been abandoned by a boyfriend, a parental figure, or a boss—here’s the thing: God is your heavenly Father. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is with you always and forever. He will not abandon you. We may get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Remember—lead with your thoughts, lead because of the legacy, and lead when it’s hard.
Lead Off-Stage
Here’s another one for you—lead when we don’t get the credit. Leading well is not about our name in lights. It’s all about His glory. Lately, I’ve been thinking about the favor and blessing of God that He has bestowed on all of us. He’s just so good. Some comments on your Instagram posts might tell you how wonderful or beautiful you are. You may have millions of followers. Maybe you have a great talent or you’re stunning, which you are. But here’s some perspective for all of us to keep us humble—people love you, are following you, and see something in you because you’re carriers of God’s presence. People are attracted to Jesus on the inside of you. I know that I am where I am today, not because I think I’m somebody, but because I’m a daughter of God that has chosen to say, “Yes, I will speak up for the girls. Yes, I want to place value upon this generation. Yes, I want to get up early and pray when I’m sleepy. Yes, I want to be the woman of God that You’ve called me to be.” But the thing is, when the applause fades and I’m not standing on a platform, I am called to steward His presence. I am called to decrease so that He would increase. The same applies to you. No matter how many accolades that you get on your job, no matter how many cheers you receive, it’s all for His glory.
Leading doesn’t look like always being in the spotlight, getting all the credit, likes, or followers. Leading sometimes can look like everyone loves you and you have more followers than you can count, but other times it’s a season like Jesus went through when Peter denied even knowing him. The win of good leadership is not the applause or acceptance from people. The win is obedience to God. That’s worth saying again. The win is not the praise of people, the win is giving glory and honor to God. Then win is not about our name, it’s about His name. When we seek to push others forward and place value on others we can find our confidence and definition of success in how He is pleased with us not putting all of our hopes and dreams in the pursuit of being out front. The truth is, leadership is the ability to go first and the humility to be at peace and find joy even when we are last. Matthew 20:16 says, “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
Our every action should be to bring Him praise, so let’s carry that mission as leaders and steward it so well.
Lead with Humility
Lastly, in humility, we lay our crowns down at the feet of Jesus. Revelation 4:9-11 says, “Every time the animals gave glory and honor and thanks to the One Seated on the Throne, the 24 elders would fall prostrate before Him. They worshiped the age-after-age Living One. They threw their crowns at the foot of the Throne chanting, ‘Worthy, 0 Master! Yes, our God! Take the glory! The honor! The power!”‘ Take my family; take my life; take my career; take my education; take everything for Your glory because You created it all. My life was created because You wanted it.
Let’s be humble. Let’s not be snobby and unapproachable. Let’s walk in the blessings of God with humility. Let’s use all of His blessings that He bestows on us to help others. Let’s lay our crowns and our accolades at the feet of Jesus because He is the One who deserves all glory, all honor, and all praise.
