Leadership Devotionals

From a devotional series on Biblical leadership from Christian leadership expert John Maxwell. 
Reprinted with permission from EQUIP Leadership, Inc.

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Become a Momentum Maker

 

"And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice." 1 Kings 3:28

It takes a leader to create momentum. Followers catch it. And managers are able to continue it once it has begun. But creating momentum requires someone who can motivate others, not one who needs to be motivated. Just as every sailor knows you can't steer a ship that isn't moving forward, strong leaders understand that to change direction, you first have to create forward progress. Without momentum, even the simplest tasks can seem insurmountable. But with momentum on your side, nearly any kind of change is possible.

Consider the ways young Solomon created momentum:
•           He started with what David provided.
•           He made wise decisions that won him credibility.
•           He maintained the peace.

No leader can ignore the impact of momentum. If you've got it, you and your people will be able to accomplish things you never thought possible. The choice to build momentum is yours.

Excerpt from The Maxwell Leadership Bible. Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional,  August 14, 2016

 

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Commitment Precedes Resources

 

But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God."  Ruth 1:16

 While every leader needs financial and human resources to reach his or her goals, commitment should always precede those resources. When a leader demonstrates a commitment to the mission and goals of the organization, then God moves and a whole stream of events begin to flow.

In the very first chapter of the book that bears her name, Ruth chooses to stay with Naomi, her mother- in-law, even after she loses her husband. She didn't know it, but her commitment would lead to all kinds of open doors. Ruth finds work during a difficult time, makes friends in a foreign land, and eventually gains a new husband, Boaz. Most impressively, God includes her-a Moabite adopted into the family of Israel-in the line of Christ. The child she bore became part of the lineage of the Messiah.

The key? Commitment. Once a leader definitely commits, God moves and all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings, persons, and material assistance begin to stream forth.

(Excerpt from The Maxwell Leadership Bible. Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional,  March 19, 2016)

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 WHAT A LEADER MUST SEE

 
“And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it."  Nehemiah 2:5

Leaders who navigate do more than control the direction in which they and their people travel. They see the whole trip in their minds before they leave the dock. It seems remarkable, but Nehemiah could see both the problem and the solution even though he had never visited Jerusalem.

All great leaders have uncommon vision. A leader sees . . .

1. Farther than others see. Nehemiah was able to see the problem, and he could picture the solution in his head.
2. More than others see. Nehemiah knew that the wall could and should be rebuilt, and he knew what it would take to do it.
3. Before others see. None of Jerusalem's neighbors wanted to see the Jews rebuild their wall, and several enemy leaders conspired against Nehemiah and the people. But Nehemiah saw the danger and planned accordingly; he refused to give in to enemy plots.

(Excerpt from The Maxwell Leadership Bible. Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional,  January 28, 2016)

 

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THE HEART OF LEADERSHIP

"So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet."  John 13:4-5 (NIV)

When you think of servanthood, what do you envision? Servanthood is not about position or skill. It's about attitude. You undoubtedly have met people in service positions who have poor attitudes toward servanthood. And just as you can sense when a worker doesn't want to help people, you can just as easily detect whether a leader has a servant's heart.

The truth is that the best leaders desire to serve others, not themselves.True servant leaders:

•           Put others ahead of their own agenda.
•           Possess the confidence to serve.
•           Initiate service to others.
•           Are not position-conscious.
•           Serve out of love.

Servant leadership is never motivated by manipulation or self-promotion. In the end, the extent of your influence depends on the depth of your concern for others. That's why it's so important for leaders to be willing to serve.

(Excerpt from The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional,  January 6, 2015)

 

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TOUCH A HEART FIRST

"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own . . . My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."  John 10:14, 27

One of the most common mistakes people make is trying to lead others before developing relationships with them. It happens all the time. A new manager starts with a company and expects the people working there to respond to her authority without question. A coach asks his players to trust him when they don't even know each other. A divorced father who hasn't seen his children in years re-initiates contact and expects them to respond to him automatically. In each of these instances, the leader expects to make an impact on his people before building the relationship. It's possible that the followers will comply with what the leader's position requires, but they'll never go beyond that.

As you prepare to develop other people, take time to get to know one another. Ask them to share their stories with you-their journeys so far. Find out what makes them tick, their strengths and weaknesses, their temperaments, and so forth. And spend some time with them outside of the environment where you normally see them. It will develop your relationship in a way it hasn't before, and it will help you grow.

(Excerpt from The Maxwell Leadership Bible. Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional, Dec. 4, 2015)

 

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Watch Them Blossom

 "I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."  2 Timothy 1:6-7                     

People rise or fall to meet our level of expectations for them. If you express skepticism and doubt in others, they'll return your lack of confidence with mediocrity. But if you believe in them and expect them to do well, they'll wear themselves out trying to do their best. And in the process, both of you benefit.

If you've never been one to trust people and put your faith in them, change your way of thinking and begin believing in others. Your life will quickly begin to improve. When you have faith in another person, you give him or her an incredible gift, maybe the best gift you can give another person. Give others money, and it's soon spent. Give resources, and they may not be used to the greatest advantage. Give help, and they'll often find themselves back where they started in a short period of time. But give them your faith, and they become confident, energized, and self-reliant. 

They become motivated to acquire what they need to succeed on their own. And then later if you do share money, resources and help, they're better able to use them to build a better future.

Become a believer in people, and even the most tentative and inexperienced people can bloom.

(Excerpt from Becoming a Person of Influence. Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional,  November 19, 2015)

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Give Yourself, Not Just Your Opinion

 
"I have heard many such things; Miserable comforters are you all!"  Job 16:2

Eliphaz, Bidad, and Zophar accused Job of acting foolishly, of speaking wrongly, of leading wickedly. But they never got their message across for two reasons: First, they didn't have all the facts; and second, they didn't practice the Law of Connection.

Many leaders are tempted to make the same mistakes. We voice our opinions even though we remain ignorant of important information and lack any heart connection to our audience. Job called his friends, "miserable comforters." Every good communicator seeks first to understand before being understood. Note how they differ from public speakers:

Public Speaker	Communicator
1. Seeks to be understood and led  2. Asks: What do I have? 3. Focuses on techniques  4. Is self-conscious 5. Wants to complete the speech  6. Content-oriented	1. Seeks to understand and connect 2. Asks: What do they need? 3. Focuses on atmosphere 4. Is audience-oriented 5. Wants to complete the people 6. Change-oriented

 – John Maxwell. Excerpt from The Maxwell Leadership Bible (Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional,  September 29, 2015)

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Without Buy-In, The Vision Perishes

"And the Angel of the Lord appeared to [Gideon], and said to him, 'The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor'!" Judges 6:12

All leaders have vision. But all people who possess vision are not leaders. A compelling vision alone will not make someone a leader. Nor will a great vision automatically be fulfilled simply because it is compelling or valuable. Followers need to buy into the leader.

Once Gideon possessed the vision to deliver Israel from its enemies, he still needed to get the people to buy into his leadership. Even though the vision was ordained by God, it still required time and action from Gideon. Ultimately, so many people bought into Gideon's leadership so completely that God had to send a bunch of them home to make sure He got the glory for their victory.

Just because a person has vision and occupies a leadership position doesn't necessarily mean that the people will follow. Before they get on board, they have to buy in. And that doesn't happen in an instant. Buy-in is an ongoing process.

– John Maxwell  (Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional, August 17, 2015)

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A Position Doesn't Make a Leader

"Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron, saying, 'Indeed we are your bone and your flesh.' Also, in time past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord your God said to you, 'You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over My people Israel'."     1 Chronicles 11:1-2

As the most influential man in the country, David was leading long before Saul lost his throne. Like it or not, position doesn't make a person a leader. Title may give someone authority, but not influence. Influence comes from the person; it must be earned. David had earned it and Saul had not. Why was this so?

• • •     Unity: David rallied the people and created unity.
    •     Identification: David identified with his followers as family.
    •     Credibility: David effectively led military campaigns.
    •     Anointing: David enjoyed God's hand and power on his life.
    •     Partnership: David worked cooperatively with key leaders.
      
      – John Maxwell  (Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional, July 20, 2015)

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How to Add Value to Others

"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom,
and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people." - Matthew 4:23  

 When people think about you, do they say to themselves, "My life is better because of that person"? Their response probably answers the question of whether you are adding value to them. To succeed personally, you must try to help others. That's why Zig Ziglar says, "You can get everything in life you want if you help enough other people get what they want." How do you do that? How can you turn your focus from yourself and start adding value to others? You can do it by:  

• Putting others first in your thinking.
• Finding out what others need.
• Meeting that need with excellence and generosity.

– John Maxwell
(Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional, June 12, 2015)

 

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Give Them Themselves

"And [the Angel] said, 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.'" Genesis 32:28

Team members always love and admire a person who is able to help them go to another level, someone who enlarges them and empowers them to be successful.

Players who enlarge their teammates have several things in common.

1.            Enlargers value their teammates: People's performances usually reflect the expectations of those they respect.

2.            Enlargers know and relate to what their teammates value: Players who enlarge others understand what their teammates value. That kind of knowledge, along with a desire to relate to their fellow players, creates a strong connection between teammates.

3.            Enlargers add value to their teammates: An enlarger looks for the gifts, talents, and uniqueness in other people, and then helps them to increase those abilities for their benefit and for that of the entire team.

4.            Enlargers make themselves more valuable: You cannot give what you do not have. If you want to increase the ability of a teammate, make yourself better.

– John Maxwell
(Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional, May 11, 2015)

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Invest to Empower

 

"Barnabas took [Paul] and brought him to the apostles, And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus." Acts 9:27

Barnabas let no opportunity escape to add value to others, and his greatest single contribution in terms of empowerment can be seen in his interaction with Paul.

•             He believed in Paul before anyone else did.
•             He endorsed Paul's leadership to other leaders.
•             He empowered Paul to reach his potential.

To be an empowering leader, you must do more than believe in emerging leaders. You need to take steps to help them become the leaders they have the potential to be. You must invest in them if you want to empower them to become their best.

Empowering people takes a personal investment. It requires energy and time. But it's worth the price. If you do it right, you will have the privilege of seeing someone move up to a higher level. And when you empower others, you create power in your organization.

– John Maxwell

 (Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional, April 10, 2015)

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Begin Leading By Loving

“A good leader motivates, doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit.” Proverbs 16:10 (The Message) 

If you desire to influence another person, the way to start is by nurturing them. What clergyman John Knox said over four hundred years ago is still true: "You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time."

At the heart of the nurturing process is genuine concern for others. And as we try to help and influence the people around us, we must have positive feelings and concern for them. If you want to help people and make a positive impact on them, you cannot dislike or disparage them. You must give love to them and give them respect.

You may be wondering why you should take on a nurturing role with the people you want to influence, especially if they are employees, colleagues, or friends. You may be saying to yourself, "Isn't that something they can get somewhere else, like at home?" The unfortunate truth is that most people are desperate for encouragement. If you become a major nurturer in the life of another person, then you have an opportunity to make a major impact on them.

– John Maxwell

 (Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional, Feb. 17, 2015)

 

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Leaders Touch a Heart Before They Ask For A Hand

"Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: 'What share have we in David?
We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now, see to your own house, O David!' So Israel departed to their tents."  1 Kings 12:16

A leader can't connect with people when he is only communicating among groups; he must connect with individuals. The stronger the relationship and connection between individuals, the more likely the follower will help the leader. Successful leaders always initiate; they take the firs step and make the effort to continue building relationships.

Connecting with people isn't complicated, but it takes effort. Observe the truths about connection that Rehoboam, son of David, ignored:

• Your people are more willing to take action when you first move them with emotion.
• When you give first, your people will give in return.
• When you connect with individuals, you gain the attention of crowds.
• When you reach out to your people, they will reach back toward you. 

Whether you have just taken over a leadership position or are well established, you must connect with your people if you are to succeed.

– John Maxwell

(Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional, Sept. 3, 2014)

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Follow My Lead

"Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the Lord which He had done for Israel."  Joshua 24:31

Look at every phase of Joshua's life, and you see a man who gave himself wholeheartedly to completing whatever task was assigned to him. From the first, he immediately obeyed the instruction of Moses (Exodus 17:9-10). Thereafter Joshua took on the role of Moses' assistant. Joshua again displayed his obedience when he agreed to spy out the Promised Land. Upon his return from the reconnaissance mission, he and Caleb, alone among the spies, were ready to obey God and enter Canaan.

Forty years later when Moses handed the reins of power to his protégé, Joshua again obeyed the call (Joshua 1:5-11). In the end, the people of Israel followed Joshua's example and did what God asked of them - and as a result inherited the land God had promised.

By the time of his death, Joshua was known simply as "the servant of the Lord" (Judges 2:7-8). That is high praise! While today we consider Joshua an exceptional leader, nowhere does Scripture describe him as a man of extraordinary might, intellect, or talent. Obedience made him extraordinary. And when you're a servant of the Lord, that is all you really need.

– John Maxwell

(Reprinted with permission. EQUIP Leadership, Inc. Devotional, December 22nd, 2014)