When you think about Jesus’ apostles the descriptive words, “uneducated,” “prideful,” “self-important,” “self-righteous,” “ambitious,” or “cowardly” normally don’t come to mind. However that’s exactly what many of them were before and even after Jesus chose them to walk with him.
The fact is, Jesus didn’t seem to choose the likely candidates for his own disciples. He picked a motley crew of layman to change the world.
As J. Oswald Sanders put it in Chapter Five, “He ignored every popular idea of His day (and ours) about what kind of person could fit the role… Any campaign for change today would have a star-studded cast of directors and advisers. In Jesus’ group, where was the prominent statesman, the financier, the athlete, professor, or acclaimed clergy. Instead, Jesus looked for a humbler sort of person, unspoiled by the sophistication of His day.”
I have a feeling that’s what he would do today too, which brings me to the point of today’s message.
What’s holding you back from being a spiritual leader? It can’t be a lack of education, pedigree, charisma, or the gift of gab that’s hindering you. We know that Jesus chose blue collar, uneducated, and untested men to work with him and “under His skillful hand they emerged as leaders who would shock the world” and transform Christianity into what we know it as today!
To me, that is truly remarkable and it’s the only saving grace that gave me the courage and the fortitude to start He’s the Solution Ministries and continue it today. If He can turn a ragtag group of inexperienced men into spiritual and cultural thought leaders and gifted theologians, I have a shot, right? And so do you.
The reason I chose Spiritual Leadership for this Summer’s read, and why it is so important in today’s world, is that many of us are sitting back and letting the ‘professionals’ do the heavy lifting of Christianity. We feel it’s not our ‘lane’ or place and instead focus on what we think we’re good at or what we think we’re supposed to do.
Let me tell you something, there is no other work or calling more important than God’s. And if you have bold faith in Jesus, you read the gospel, and stay in constant contact with Christ through prayer, your abilities and talents will flourish so you can confidently and competently do God’s work and fulfill Christ’s calling to lead others to Him.
The question isn’t “Can you be a spiritual leader?”… the question is, “Are you ready to be molded into one?”
