FOLLOW THE LEADERPaul warned servants, or employees, not to do a good job only when their
masters were watching.
“Servants, obey your earthly masters in everything;
and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their
favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the
Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as
working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you
will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It
is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Col. 3:22-24).He gave equal exhortation to the master, or employer. Just as Paul
instructed Christian servants to do their job well regardless of whether
their masters were watching; he reminded the masters to be fair and just
- because God was always watching!
“Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair,
because you know that you also have a Master in heaven”
(Col. 4:1).Spiritual leaders are internally motivated toward excellence. They have an
intrinsic passion for perfection. They work with an acute awareness that the
eyes of the Lord are always upon them. They are seeking to please Him
first and foremost in everything they do. Their highest motivation is to
hear Him say: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21). In
their striving toward perfection, they are not trying to appease God – but
rather to please God. One motivation is positive and healthy, while the
other is negative and unhealthy. A person will try to appease a God that
they feel is harsh...angry...over-bearing...unfair...unjust. On the other
hand, they will live to please the God Who has perfectly accepted them in
Christ Jesus – and loves them with an everlasting love! That’s the kind
of unconditional love and acceptance that motivates healthy living and healthy
leading. First and foremost, it is the Lord that they are serving through
their leadership gifts – not man. They are not just working for their
earthly welfare – but for an eternal “Well done!” However, the paradox is
that our leadership before man is no better than our lives before God.
If leaders have a motto in this area, it is this: “Anything that is worth doing,
is worth doing right.” They know that if they do the job right the first
time, they will not have to come back and repeat the effort. Effective