Leading Like Jesus with vision, value and risk

As I am reading a book about leadership and how to motivate and influence people, I was reminded of Jesus and how he called the disciples. It has always bugged me when I read the gospels how quickly they left everything and followed him. I get that it’s a picture of radial obedience, but there is something else underneath the surface. They must of known of Jesus or maybe heard him speak before he went public. Something compelled these men to follow him. It wasn’t the money, it wasn’t women, or popularity, but it was a hope that he was going to bring the kingdom, he was going to lead them into a new era of promise, he was going to bring a brighter future from what they knew. Leaving everything was a seemingly small risk to what this man could potentially bring. Leadership is the same way. As we hold to and communicate a brighter future for our families and our churches, we have to show people that it’s worth the risk, it’s worth the blood sweat and tears. In the end, Jesus didn’t bring them the earthly kingdom that they had hoped for. He didn’t bring them the fame and popularity that they thought might be theirs, but what he brought was far greater, worth far more value. It was eternal life. And as church leaders we have to ask ourselves what is the greater kingdom value that we are bringing to people? To those outside the church who don’t know Christ? We have to ask ourselves what we value and why? And do our values line up with the values that Jesus had? That’s just my “Jesus side note” for today as I dive back into my leadership reading.