Leadership Lessons

 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away;..." John 16:7

We are a lot like the early disciples. We do not understand what is happening in and around us. We have experienced some measure of success and we think that we have figured God out. And then we fret and work like God only has one way to do things, and that is the way He moved among us at the beginning.

Jesus told them that I must leave so that you can take over. If I don't go away, you will never grow up. This is not a mystery, this is common sense. Jesus was the leader of that group. And he led knowing that his tenure was going to be short. He had a plan that did not depend on Him being in charge forever. 

In a relay race success depends on one runner handing off the baton to the next runner. All members are world class runners, but they also know how to relinquish the baton to the next runner.

Jesus no doubt knew that not only was the cross necessary, leadership demanded that He not become the bottleneck. Jesus knew that men will not lead as long as the founding leader is in power. Moses did not lose control when he delegated responsibility, but the nation gained power and growth.

We are also like the disciples in our response to changes. 

"Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, ..." John 16:20

The good news is that doing things God's way brings joy in the end. Your sorrow will be turned into joy is how Jesus said it.

"Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you." John 16:22

Only a true leader can delegate. Those he leads cannot do that for him. A failure to hand off the baton just makes you a bottleneck, clinging to old ways of doing things. What got us here may not get us farther down the road of life.