The leaders God is looking for are very different to the leadership the world is looking for.
God is looking for those who walk with a limp; those who, like Jacob, have surrendered unconditionally to God. He's looking for those who have been through his wilderness training school, educated in the college of hard knocks and disappointment, graduated from the seminary of insignificance on the backside of the desert.
God is looking for those who are dead to their own ambitions, crucified to any desire for limelight and public praise. They have nailed to the cross their own agendas and ministries. They have no need to control. They are willing to go unrecognized, to be of no consequence in the world. They are looking for ways to lay down their lives for others.
Wolfgang Simson describes these leaders as "weeping fathers and mothers, longing for their sons and daughters to overtake them.
These are the men and women God trusts to lead others.
6 replies on “What is God’s leadership training like?”
Wonderful insight and superb writing, Felicity.
Thank you, Felicity. So true, but so difficult.
I sometimes fear that my desire to write and blog is an attempt to get into the limelight and receive recognition. How have you and Tony dealt with this in your own writing and speaking engagements?
I’m not sure I understand what the phrase “longing for their sons and daughters to overtake them” means… particularly “overtake”… does it mean they long for their sons and daughters to go far beyond what they have accomplished? Or are they childless and are longing for sons and daughters? Any clarification?
Jeremy,
I agree–it’s a real challenge to sort out one’s motives. I ask the Lord regularly to keep me low at the foot of the cross, that I never dare to touch his glory. But whenever I ask him, for example, “Should I keep blogging?” I feel a real peace about going ahead with it.
Tony and I always try to talk about the mistakes we’ve made so that people realize how totally normal we are.
Tim, what I mean by the statement is that we’re longing that our spiritual sons and daughters to do far better than we’ve done, go far beyond what we’ve accomplished, that they eclipse us in the work they do for the Lord.
wonderful words, very inspiring and motivating, thank you.