The Bible Story of Gideon from the book of Judges has leadership lessons for those who serve the Kingdom of God. It demonstrates God’s criteria in the leadership selection process. Which is much different than worldly standards. Here are three Kingdom leadership lessons the story teaches.
The Bible Story Of Gideon Teaches That God Cares More About Availability Than Ability
When God’s angel approached Gideon, he was busy threshing wheat in a winepress. Not on a threshing floor as normal. Why? Because the winepress let him maintain a low profile. If his enemies, the Midianites saw him, they might raid his home and take everything.
The angel announced that God had chosen Gideon to lead the nation of Israel. But Gideon didn’t believe it because he considered himself a nobody. And immediately pointed out his lack of qualifications.
Runt of his family…
That ranked on the bottom rung of social standing…
From a community last among the nation of Israel…
In other words. He had no particular skills. No accomplishments. Nothing to instill confidence in him as a leader. Why would anyone even follow him? And God’s answer: Because He would be with him.
But wait, you say. What about my Valedictorian college education? Superior skill set. Many leadership conferences I’ve attended? They aren’t important?
Yes. But the point is, God isn’t impressed with your abilities and credentials. He gave them to you. Can take them away. Or give them to a rock.
Regardless of your many qualifications or lack of them, God’s first and most penetrating question in Kingdom leadership is the same.
Are you available?
The Bible Story Of Gideon Teaches That Kingdom Leadership Requires Courage
God gave Gideon a specific first assignment. A big one. And it required courage. Tear down the community altar of Baal and the Asherah pole his fellow Israelites worshipped.
Of course, doing the right thing is seldom easy. Especially when you are the lone voice in the crowd. When doing the right thing in the eyes of God is the wrong thing in everyone else’s eyes. And invites their wrath.
So give Gideon credit. He summoned up the courage and tore them down. But maybe not full credit. Because he did it at night while everyone was asleep hoping he wouldn’t be discovered.
And yet, is there a modern parallel to this story? And a challenging question to Christ-followers today? As we see our communities reject God’s commands are we standing up for God or keeping a low profile? Because standing up is risky and might invite the wrath of our communities.
And what might an act of Godly courage look like?
Perhaps it wasn’t Gideon’s finest moment. His most brazen act of courage. But it was a start. And the turning point for both Gideon and the nation of Israel. As God empowered Gideon for Kingdom leadership.
The Bible Story Of Gideon Teaches That Kingdom Leadership Requires Obedience
Finally, Gideon demonstrates real leadership and successfully recruits a large army to take on the oppressing Midianites.
But God tells him it’s too large. And gives him the kookiest military engagement instructions of all times. Starting with orders to trim his fighting force down to 300 soldiers.
God wanted to make it clear that Gideon’s success was only possible by God’s power. Because his human nature, like ours, tends to take credit for what belongs to God.
So following God’s instructions, Gideon arms his meager 300 soldiers with trumpets and torches. They surround the Midianites camp at night and at a given signal blow the trumpets and hold up lighted torches with a shout.
Then watch as their enemy, in confusion, turns on and kills one another.
The key was simple obedience to God. Simple to say that is. Hard to practice. Because obedience requires humility, trust and submission to God’s will. None of which come easily or naturally.
And yet, Kingdom leadership both demands it and demonstrates amazing works of God because of it.
For business success, find and follow your company captain.
The year 2020 demonstrated yet again how little we control the world around us. So, be cautious about spending 2021 reading or listening to every good idea to protect your team against the next unknown.
There are too many good ideas and not enough time, energy, and personnel to implement them all. Worse, some good ideas press against others. So if you commit to a decentralized, remote workforce, then management by walking around must be redefined for effectiveness. Likely there’s a better metaphor for the type of management you’ll need than walking around.
Find And Follow Your Company Captain Who Demonstrates Convictions
Leaders need convictions – a commitment to certain core principles that inform values and guide decision-making. This is not an unwillingness to ever change course or a refusal to admit they are wrong, but it is a presumption in favor of these principles. For example, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, DISC, Enneagram – each is a great personality assessment.
My personal conviction is that Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is the best assessment to use in the context of family, DISC in the context of employment, and Enneagram in the context of young adults looking to understand themselves. That could change, but I am not searching each day for a new assessment to use. I use these until I am persuaded that there is a better one for the purpose I am pursuing.
Find And Follow Your Company Captain Who Is Service Focused
Rather than sell products I focus on serving actual customer needs. I don’t care if we follow the precise guidelines of a framework (Supernova, EOS/Traction, Good to Great, StrengthFinders 2.0); I care that we adapt the framework to their needs. We don’t serve the frameworks, the frameworks provide support to us.
How do you begin?
Start by writing down your core principles, your convictions, and consider how they inform your values and guide your decision-making. If the results are ill-defined, chaotic, or contradictory, then you will need to refine your convictions. Once you establish your principles, then focus on living them out more fully and effectively until you recognize a need to add to or adapt them further.
Life is too short to be a research project.
You need to live. Start with the materials you have. Tap into the wise counsel of others.
Begin using the good ideas you find compelling and fit them to your organization without worrying that there’s another good, possibly better, idea that you’re missing. Think of convictions as the captain of your ship. As long as you train sailors, you can spend time searching for those capable of being captain. And, while port is safe, ships are meant for open water.
Once you set sail, your captain must be in place. This will be someone selected from among many good candidates and you can never be sure that your selection is best. But when storms burst upon you and threaten your intended course, you will have a capable leader. You won’t be scrambling to identify and select a leader when you are least able to focus – in the midst of the storm. Keep training your captain while at sea. (Refine your convictions while on your journey.)
Don’t attempt to perfect them before you’re willing to set sail. Instead of focusing on keeping your team safe from life’s unknowns, prepare them to meet and manage through those challenges while continuing to your destination.
Find And Follow Your Company Captain Who Stays On Course
The leaders whose teams continued on course despite all that 2020 hurled at them, began the year with clear convictions, with a company captain in place. Others recognized, too late, that they lacked a captain or were still searching for the best candidate from among an endless supply of possibilities. We don’t know what 2021 will bring, but we can be prepared if we find and follow our captain!
About Julian Consulting
Dr. Stephen Julian is President of Julian Consulting, a firm specializing in team health, effective communication, and leadership development. He has worked with leaders and their teams for nearly 30 years in a variety of settings – including Africa, South and Central America.
There is life renewing power in Biblical repentance. No matter what you’ve done. Haven’t done. How good or bad you are. Or think you are. Biblical repentance starts a whole new life.
Wow! Why then doesn’t everyone repent? Maybe because Biblical repentance is misunderstood. So let’s look at what Biblical repentance is and the life renewing opportunity it presents.
The Life Renewing Power In Biblical Repentance Begins With A Decision
There’s a popular sterotype of red-faced preachers, worked up in an angry frenzy, pounding on pulpits and demanding congregants to repent from sin. It’s an image that promotes condemnation and fear. And often turns people away from the Christian faith.
While Jesus never condemned people for their sin, he clearly called them to repent. And his message holds true today. So what did he mean?
The Greek word for repent that Jesus used is Metanoeo, which means to change one’s mind. But even more, it’s a change in direction. A spiritual U-turn that turns away from sin and turns to God.
You may experience emotions when you repent. The Apostle Paul discusses a Godly sorrow that leads to repentance. But emotion is not a requirement.
What IS required is to engage your will. For you to willingly profess and actively follow Jesus Christ.
The Life Renewing Power In Biblical Repentance Involves A Life Long Practice
Also, repentance is not one and done. Yes, there is an initial change of mind. A decision to turn from sin and turn to God. Declare your willingness to follow Jesus as the Son of God. And in that moment you are spiritually renewed and transformed from the inside out.
But you’re not done. You will have to repent on a regular basis for the rest of your life. Because your past doesn’t simply dissolve. There are experiences, pain, emotions and scars that remain. And perhaps consequences of behavior.
Yes, you are new and transformed. But old patterns of behaviors and habits will present themselves. Along with the temptations of a real, spiritual enemy who wants you to fail. And while God’s Spirit now resides in you, so does your sin nature. So you won’t win every battle over sin.
But you will experience ultimate victory. Because God’s forgiveness and mercy are overflowing. So repenting on a regular basis becomes an important practice in ongoing spiritual renewal.
The Life Renewing Power In Biblical Repentance Is A Spiritual Partnership
The Prodigal Son Bible parable pictures God as a loving father who desires a relationship with you. Who waits eagerly for your homecoming, rushes to meet you and celebrates your return.
It confirms that repentance is not just one way event. But the start of a dynamic relationship. Where God is an active agent. Who calls you to repent. Might even be calling you now. Are you listening?
And beyond repentance, God’s Spirit empowers you. Intercedes on your behalf. And guides you on a spiritual journey of discovering and following His will.
There will still be hardships, challenges and setbacks. Jesus warned that discipleship has costs. But at the same time, it’s a forward moving journey. One with a promise and a prize.
The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace teaches about Biblical integrity. Here are three lessons from this Bible story in the book of Daniel.
The Story Of Shadrach, Meshach And Abednego Teaches That Biblical Integrity Is Uncompromising
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were three Jewish young men taken captive when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Jerusalem in 587 B.C. As the brightest among Jewish young men, they were educated and assigned jobs within the Babylonian empire.
But as faithful Jews, they also obeyed the ten commandments given by Moses. And the first was to worship no other gods before the God of Israel.
So when King Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone in Babylon worship a golden image, they refused. Because it compromised their moral integrity to God’s command.
Today, the Bible is our guide for the Christian faith. It is God’s absolute truth for right living. Of course, we still sin, so perfection isn’t achieved. But Biblical integrity strives to live uncompromisingly according to its moral standards.
The Story Of Shadrach, Meshach And Abednego Teaches That Biblical Integrity Stands By Its Word
King Nebuchadnezzar ordered the young men brought to him and gave them a last chance. Bow before the gold image or burn in a fiery furnace. It was the ultimate test in character. Were they willing to die for their commitment to God? Yes. The three young men stood by their word. Why?
Because God stood by His word. They even audaciously claimed God could deliver them from the furnace. But even if not, they wouldn’t worship the idol.
An interesting disclaimer. What does it mean? God can deliver us, but just in case, we won’t comply because we’re religiously stubborn?
No, the point is God’s rewards aren’t always claimed in this life. But always promised in eternity. So they would stand firm. Standing by our word is still God’s expectation for us. One Jesus also consistently taught.
Such impudence made King Nebuchadnezzar really hot. Emotionally speaking that is. How dare they defy him! He ordered the furnace heated up seven times hotter than normal, the three men tied up and thrown in.
But they didn’t burn! In fact, when Nebuchadnezzar called them out of the furnace, not a hair on their head was singed. They didn’t even smell like smoke.
The Story Of Shadrach, Meshach And Abednego Teaches That Biblical Integrity Magnifies God
King Nebuchadnezzar was amazed. And perhaps a little fearful. He praised the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Decreed that no one in the kingdom speak against their God. And gave the three young men job promotions.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego could have strutted their stuff. Proudly proclaimed, “I told you so” or present false humility–a form of pride. But they didn’t.
Instead, their integrity was based on the word and character of God. Rather than elevate themselves, they elevated the name of God.
And that is what Biblical integrity does. Rather than herald your accomplishments or abilities, it proclaims the glory of God. It honors and magnifies His name.
The uncompromising integrity of these three young Jewish men influenced an entire Babylonian nation. And in today’s world of moral ambiguity, the integrity of God’s people influences the culture today.
The Prodigal son Bible Story is more than just a parable Jesus taught during his ministry. Here are four lessons the prodigal son Bible story teaches us today.
THE PRODIGAL SON BIBLE STORY TEACHES THAT GOD LETS YOU ACCEPT OR REJECT HIM
The prodigal son Bible story is a parable Jesus told describing God as a loving father. Like the story, God has a rich, spiritual inheritance waiting for you as a faithful son or daughter. And gives you the free will to accept or reject it.
But the son in the story was impatient. And demanded immediate gratification. To pursue his personal pleasure rather than the goodness God had for him. So he asked for his inheritance in advance and the father gave it to him.
The point is, God wants you to seek Him willingly. To trust His goodness as your father and walk with Him in relationship. And ultimately, enjoy the divine rewards that it brings. But it’s your choice.
THE PRODIGAL SON BIBLE STORY TEACHES THAT GOD LETS YOU SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF BAD CHOICES
In the story, the son takes off after receiving his inheritance. And everything is great while the money lasts. But when it runs out, so do the good times and so do his friends.
He realizes he made some bad choices. Which is not unusual. We all do that. But bad decisions multiply when they are made out of a sinful, selfish heart. And the prodigal son was all about himself.
So he plunges into bankruptcy and in desperation takes the only job available. Feeding pigs. At this point in the story, some people misunderstand God. They think because He’s a loving father, He should run to the rescue. Instead, He lets the son suffer the consequences of his bad choices. That’s tough love. A hard lesson for the son. And we should understand God often does the same with us.
THE PRODIGAL SON BIBLE STORY TEACHES THAT RESTORATION WITH THE FATHER BEGINS WITH HUMILITY
Finally, the son reaches rock bottom. He’s so hungry the pig’s food looks good. And he comes to his senses. Even his father’s servants have it better. Why not go back home?
But now, the brashness is gone. He accepts responsibility for his bad choices. Acknowledges he no longer deserves to be called a son. But is willing to accept the position of servant. And with this change of heart, he returns to his father.
Today, we are restored in the same manner. By humbling ourselves before the Father, owning our sin and seeking His forgiveness with a change of heart.
THE PRODIGAL SON BIBLE STORY TEACHES THAT GOD CELEBRATES YOUR RETURN
In the story, the father saw his son a long way off and ran to meet him.
In other words, the father had not forgotten his son at all. Yes, he let the son suffer the consequences of his choices. But his love never wavered. He kept daily vigilance. Watching and hoping for his son’s return. Ran to meet him when he did. Fully restored him as a son. And spared no expense in celebrating his return.
It’s the picture of God that Jesus wants us to see. A heavenly father full of love and grace. Who lets you reject Him if you choose. But waits, hopes and watches for your return.
And when you make a move back to God. With an attitude of humility and a change of heart. God runs to meet you. Restores you as a son or daughter. And extravagantly celebrates your return home.
A Biblically mastered mind intentionally manages what thoughts get in and stay. It’s active rather than reactive. Because it’s amazing what happens when you put your mind to it. Here are three attributes of a Biblically mastered mind.
A BIBLICALLY MASTERED MIND IS GOSPEL CENTERED
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the central message of the Bible. It’s the good news of Christ’s redeeming sacrifice and gift of eternal life. And everything in the life of a Christ-follower revolves around it.
So a Biblically mastered mind remains centered on it. Because it’s the key to freedom, joy and transformation.
Yes. Life on earth can still be tough. Hard. Unfair. Ugly. And sin will always tempt to lead you astray.
But the Gospel settles your mind with the certainty of God’s sovereignty. And creates calm in the middle of chaos as you manage the challenges of daily life with an eternal perspective. Where God’s will is ultimately fulfilled.
A BIBLICALLY MASTERED MIND IS PURPOSEFULLY DIRECTED
Behavior is seldom completely random and impulsive. It begins with a thought. And those thoughts stew in your mind as rehearsals for actions.
But a Biblically mastered mind recognizes that your will controls the mind and not the other way around. So you can direct those mental rehearsals in a positive manner by…
Taking your thoughts captive
Thoughts enter your mind in a variety of ways. Some positive. Some negative. And you can’t always control what comes in. But you can control whether or not you let them dwell. And for how long. Rather than trying NOT to think about them. Replace them with other thoughts.
Renewing your mind
God’s Spirit will renew your mind as you turn it over to Him. And He accomplishes that best when you saturate your mind with His word. Spending regular time reading and meditating on the Bible makes a huge difference in managing your thought life.
Experiencing God’s mercy
We’ll never reach perfection in this life. So we will win some sinful thought battles and lose others. But when we confess our sin and ask for God’s forgiveness, He covers us with His mercy.
Our minds can reset. And start over with each new day.
A BIBLICALLY MASTERED MIND IS AT PEACE
Peace in a Biblical worldview is more than inner tranquility or lack of conflict. It is based in right relationships. So a Biblically mastered mind doesn’t reach within for peace. It reaches up to God. Because Biblical peace is not an ideology you attain. It is the spiritual presence of God in your life.
You begin by recognizing your relationship with God is out of whack because of sin. And it is mended through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s what puts you right with God. This in turn, promotes better relationships with other people. And leads to a real and lasting peace.
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
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