FOLLOW THE LEADERso appealing. It is “Good News” because its message is centered in the
cross of Jesus Christ – which is the biggest positive or “plus sign” in
history! Only the cross of Jesus Christ crosses out all of the other negative
selfish and self-centered motivations for living and leading. A Biblical
leader finds his positive purpose in the Christ-centered and cross-centered life.
As we saw in the preceding chapter, Paul expressed this kind of exchanged
life in these words:
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live,
but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by
faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself
for me” (Gal. 2:20).The more a leader has been liberated from the “self-life” through the
“crucified life,” the more he will be qualified to lead others – and the more
others will be drawn to follow him.
It is important to remember that people are not generally drawn to,
or motivated by, a negative person or a negative purpose – unless they are
spiritually and socially sick individuals! However, history has demonstrated
that there can be a vision vacuum that allows a sick person with a negative
vision to rise to power. Both Holy Writ and secular history record the
stories of evil leaders who led people toward the fulfillment of negative
goals: Pharaoh, Jeroboam, Ahab, Pilate, Nero, Hitler, Mao Tse Tung, Idi
Amin, Pol Pot – only to mention a few of the tyrants of history. The
list of satanically inspired demigods and egotistical maniacs who became
leaders is almost endless! The historic record is dripping with the blood
of millions who were destroyed by the sick visions of sick leaders! But
before they could lead people to the accomplishment of their negative
goals, they had to first convince and brainwash the people into believing
that those negative goals were indeed positive – and therefore good for
them and their country. In the absence of a positive benevolent vision,
people can be deceived and seduced by a malevolent one! That’s why
godly leadership is so desperately needed in our world today!
People are looking for someone positive to follow because they already
feel so much negativity in their own hearts and minds. Most people
are also immersed in an environment that is negative, repressive and
hostile – whether in their marriage, family, neighborhood, or jobs. Many
desperately long for a positive leader who will lead them out of their
hopelessness, and give them a vision that is worth living for – and if
necessary, dying for.