LEADERS ARE PASSIONATEcircumstances are positive and the environment is favorable, there is
happiness. But if the circumstances are negative and the environment is
unfavorable, there is unhappiness. Since happiness is based upon happenstance
- it changes like the weather!
Joy, however, is not based upon happenstance or circumstance. Joy, comes
from the Lord! It is one of the fruit of His Holy Spirit. Because of this fact,
the Christian leader has the consistency of an internal weather pattern
produced by the “joy of the Lord.” The spiritual leader has an advantage
over the worldly leader. The happiness of a worldly leader is held hostage by
happenstance and circumstance. His external environment largely controls
his happiness and dictates his moods. By contrast, the joy of a spiritual
leader is centered in an unchanging God. He has a consistent internal
environment produced by the joy of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
In this telling little verse, King David reminds us of the source of his
leadership strength – “the joy of the Lord!” Few things are less appealing
to leader and follower alike than “joyless leadership!” With that in mind,
the writer of Hebrews exhorts church members:
“Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep
watch over your souls, as those who will given an account.
Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would
be unprofitable for you” (Heb. 13:17; NASV).When it comes to joy in life and leadership, the writer of Hebrews
also reminds us of the example of the Lord Jesus. Neither His life nor
His leadership was lived out in a largely receptive atmosphere. Few
circumstances surrounding His life were positive. The happenstances and
circumstances of His life were generally very hostile and hard! Even though
His life was hard, Jesus did not become hard. He was not motivated by
happiness – but by joy. Hebrews reminds us how Jesus responded to
negative and hostile circumstances – even when the shadow of a rugged
cross loomed before Him. We read that “...for the joy set before Him
endured the cross, scorning its shame...” (Heb. 12:2). Neither pain nor
shame could take away Christ’s joy. It was only because He kept focused on
the results of His passion, that He could “...endure the cross” and “scorn
its shame.” That’s the fruit of joy! Those are responses that happiness
can never produce.