Table of Contents
Leadership can be hard. It can wear us out.
We all want to do the right thing, but sometimes it's hard to know what that is. There are so many opportunities to serve that those of us who truly have a heart to serve have to be careful, or we can do more harm than good.
If we're not careful, we could be walking in the PRESUMPTION that God will equip and empower us, without knowing for sure that we're actually CALLED.
If we're doing the wrong thing (or the right thing at the wrong time or with the wrong people) we might be walking in the PRESUMPTION that God will equip us, without knowing for sure that we're actually CALLED.
Let's be careful to always walk fully in God's calling and serve well as leaders.
Walk fully in God's calling
God calls us for specific reasons or purposes, according to His will and plan, and it's important for us to be clear on what He's leading us into day by day. If we don't' we can end up walking in presumption rather than grace.
In order to do that, it's important that we be close to Him. That we spend time with Him. That we find our identity in Him and His values.
If we don't, it can be incredibly difficult to discern the difference between an opportunity to serve and God's specific calling, and we can find ourselves burnt out and disheartened.
Or worse, hurting those around us because we've stepped out of our calling and into something that wasn't our calling in the first place.
Take responsibility for yourself and those you lead
God's call is serious business – especially as leaders.
The potential for good or for ill is enormous. Magnified many times over because our influence can impact the lives of many people. That's why it's so important to be clear on God's call, and then to follow through when we step into service.
As leaders, we often fixate on effective communication. But communication, as powerful as it is, pales in comparison to what we communicate through our actions.
Be dedicated and hold yourself accountable to what you're doing.
Take care of your heart and mind, so you can live a balanced life
Don't just assume that there's a bottomless well of vigor in your life. Or that you can habitually put yourself into situations that drain you or are far outside your abilities without taking time to refresh.
In Christian circles there can be the idea that if it's the Holy Spirit who gives us power, then we can just keep going at top speed all the time.
But that's not what we see in Scripture.
Whether we like it or not, God has designed us for seasons of rest. He commanded rest. And even Jesus modeled rest.
Don't sacrifice your life or your family for the sake of your pride. Take the time to rest and refresh.
If you don't, you can't expect the people you're leading to have any kind of healthy balance in their lives, either.
Don't be like the ice cream machine at McDonald's
We started this series talking about how the ice cream at McDonald's is broken often enough that many people now assume it's ALWAYS broken. A simple cone has become a meme that runs contrary to the promise of McDonald's.
Our focus was on how leaders can make sure they don't create “broken ice cream machine” situations in their businesses and ministries.
But that's only part of the story. If we're not careful to discern God's call, to walk in it fully, and to take care of ourselves and those around is, we can become the broken ice cream machine.
Did you get that?
WE can become the broken ice cream machine.
That's not what any of us want.
So, what are you going to do about it?
Resources
Profiles in Leadership – Discover leadership principles from leaders we all admire, and a few we don't. Get clarity on both the power and the dark side of leadership. Register today for progress updates.
RRead the blog post that started it all, The Ice Cream Machine At McDonalds Is Broken.
About Bryan Entzminger
Business and non-profit leaders hire him to turn their podcasts into revenue, influence, and visibility. He's a cohost of the Podcast Editors Mastermind, hosts a monthly podcast mixer for Book of Experts, and is the founder of Top Tier Audio.
About The Leadership Moment
Scott McClelland of Foundational Missions shares bite-sized insights into leadership, with a focus on the Bible, missions, and ministry. He pulls from a wide variety of sources and always has something to inspire and challenge us to greatness.