Chaplain (Col) Ray Fairman

In Acts 6:1-7 there is a lesson you can learn from Peter, a leader who understood that he couldn't do everything there is to do all by himself. Like many of us in the military or law enforcement professions, Peter tended to be a "control freak and a micro-manager".  Peter was often deluged with more than any one man could be expected to be in charge of, but through the power of Christ and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit he was able to organize these tasks and accomplish many great things primarily through and for the benefit of others. I am sure you law enforcement officers have had those nights on patrol when you asked yourself just who told the dispatcher that you were Superman. You know what I mean, too many calls, not enough time and three guys called in sick, yet the complainants and your sergeant expect you to handle it.

Peter was wise enough to realize that everything that people want to do does not necessarily always need to be done. You see, a wise leader must clearly understand that everything that catches a person's eye should not necessarily ignite the passion of their heart. A leader's heart and his efforts should be focused only on that activity which will result in worthwhile endeavors, the outcome of which will produce accomplishments that truly benefit others and have long lasting results.

In Nehemiah 1:1-3:32 we are going to review some history on the leadership of Nehemiah, "a man with a plan", as the saying goes.  Although the U.S. Navy and I have a different way of saying the same thing, it goes like this, "anyone can steer a ship, but it takes a navigator to chart its course."

It seems logical under these circumstances for me to call the leadership principle exemplified by Nehemiah the Principle of Navigation. A high-quality leader never intentionally navigates by the seat of his or her pants, as the old proverb states, but rather sees the whole course of events in their minds eye before ever leaving the starting point. A first-class leader can see the destination; needs, obstacles and who it will take to accomplish the mission before they ever leave the dock, let alone cross the horizon to engage the unknown.

When we look meticulously into the book of Genesis, Chapter 37, Verses 1-52 we will find out that there is a little lesson we can learn about leadership from Joseph. He was a leader who endured trials and reaped rewards while his leadership and influence matured over a period of time.

Just like money that is wisely invested, and as time goes by compounds its value through interest, leaders often increase their own value, stature and capabilities as time progresses. While all good leaders have some God given natural abilities, they can all augment their skills via the unfettered nurturing of other leaders over a period of time. True leadership has many facets, just like a diamond, that need to be perfected over a lifetime; Facets like respect, emotional strength, experience, people skills, confidence (Not to be confused with arrogance), discipline, vision, momentum, and timing and on and on as the list continues, almost ad infinitum and all that need some amount of polishing in order to be brought to their highest potential. We can see, I hope, that all leaders require some amount of seasoning, just like firewood and a fine wine, so I am told.

From Numbers 14:6-9 we can learn a little about a man named Joshua. Joshua was a leader who really understood the importance of being able to influence, not manipulate, others. Joshua was a man who understood that it took a period of time to become a very influential leader, a fact all too often overlooked (sometimes intentionally) by many people who are seeking positions of leadership in our current “fast food society”.

If you take the time to read Exodus 18:1-24, you can learn a valuable lesson about a critical leadership component from Jethro the Bible identifies as a very intuitive leader.

Possessing superior intuition is definitely a valuable asset to a leader, but where does a person acquire a highly tuned intuition? Well, in my humble opinion, it comes primarily from two sources. The first source is directly as a gift from God. This is exemplified through one's inherently natural ability and the second (which is also a requirement for fine tuning the intuition received directly as a heavenly endowment) is from experience, training, mentoring and the acquiring of skills through extensive practical application.

The acquisition of this Trait of Insight or intuition is really a process that begins at birth and continues to develop throughout a person's entire life. An accomplished and intuitive leader will continue to read, study and learn, not merely from books, but from all the people with whom they interact as well.

In Matthew 28:16-20 we will learn about leadership directly from Jesus Himself. It should be obvious to many people and that even includes His enemies that at a minimum, Jesus is the leader who had the greatest impact and left the preeminent legacy in the history of the world. If you want to find out some of the reasons why His legacy has remained so widely recognized, so then stay with me as we examine the life expectancy of the heritage of the truthful leader. For as Jesus said in John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" and the Romans remind us with their ageless Latin rendition: "Veritas vos liberabit". - The Truth Will Set You Free.