Proving Ground for Leaders
In the end, it is not those who are most gifted who receive the most responsibility; it is those who are diligent.
The most powerful leaders of the Bible were formed and trained often in years of difficulty and testing. They had to learn their lessons before God could trust them. Jesus, our model leader, weighs in on what God looks for before we get promoted.
Luke 16:10 - “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much, and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. 11“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? 12“And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
Having an opinion and being vocal does not qualify us to lead. God always looks at the heart and wants integrity internally. Remember that God’s qualifications for leaders are not designed to disqualify any of us. They are there to guide us and protect the church from unproven leaders. In this passage, we see three basic tests for developing leaders. These tests apply to all those who serve God whether in the marketplace, in the church, or in missions.
If we learn to be faithful and responsible in little things, God will trust us with more. Those who are faithful in small things will be faithful in larger things as well. Little things like keeping our commitments so people can count on us, or prioritizing important relationships rather than always seeking our own benefit. Even the simple devotion to God in prayer and reading of scripture. As 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” Leaders must know scripture and be able to defend and explain sound doctrine and detect errors.
If we learn to be responsible with money God can trust us with greater spiritual things. The Bible speaks a lot about the way we handle money. Believe it or not, this is an indicator of we handle true spiritual things. So, faithfulness in the area of money is important. This begins with the Biblical principle of tithing and generosity. It is best for all of us to end any controversy we have with God over our money. And we must be disciplined in our use of money, not impulsive in our spending but wise in our preparation for the future. Faith and trust in God are important too, but we cannot use that as an excuse for unwise behavior. Remember that the book of Proverbs is also the word of God.
If we are faithful in stewarding that which belongs to another leader, God will entrust more authority to us. This is part of our training to be able to learn from others, serve others, and be willing to serve within the sphere of someone else’s leadership. If we cannot or will not faithfully serve the vision or sphere of another, why would God give us a leadership role of our own? The best leaders are also good followers. And, good team leaders have first learned to be good team members under another leader.
All three of these above tests describe the kind of diligence God looks for in the life of a leader. When we do fall short, we have more opportunities. But we will be given some tests repeatedly until God is convinced that we have learned well. Diligence is a big deal no matter how we try to succeed.
“The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slack hand will be put to forced labor.” (Prov. 12:24)
This comparison is between those who govern and those who must be governed. And the deciding factor is diligence. In the end, it is not those who are most gifted who receive the most responsibility. It is those who are diligent.
I love the title of Jim Peterson’s book, A Prolonged Obedience in the Same Direction. There is great benefit in just being consistent in small necessary things. If you remember the story about the rabbit and the turtle, it was the steady consistent progress of the turtle that won the race.
In the end, it will be the hand of the diligent that will rule and lead. Our gifts and skills are important, and of course, social intelligence is crucial – but diligence is what leads us into greater responsibility and blessing from God.
