Blog Format Chapter III "Assessing Samuel's Power of Credibility" | Chapter III "Assessing Samuel's Power of Credibility" |
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| Written by Ray Fairman | |
 In I Samuel 4:1 we learn a little about a leader named Samuel. Whenever this leader spoke, the people always heard the truth. Samuel was one of the most credible leaders chronicled in the Old Testament. His rise to prominence began under his mentor Eli. No matter what the message was that God wanted him to proclaim or reveal, Samuel could be trusted to speak only the truth. Yet, whenever Samuel spoke this truth, he always spoke it with real compassion. I know from past experience that credibility without compassion can be counterproductive and devastating. You might, therefore, call Samuel’s contribution to our leadership lexicon the “Trait of Compassionate Credibility.”
Keep reading to see how credibility might be applicable to your life.
Lets take a quick look at these four areas of accountability.
First we need to consider an area we will call “Shepherding.”
The key to examining this area is the accurate and honest evaluation of a
person’s leader-subordinate relationships. A leader must clearly
understand that the relationship of a shepherd to his flock is an allegory for
the relationship of a leader to his or her subordinates. Can you honestly
visualize yourself or your current superior acting or developing in the way the
Lord teaches and desires us to lead? Do you know, love, protect, teach and
guide your subordinates? A good leader knows the definition of each of those
words and does his or her level best to incorporate them into their own
personal style of leadership. Never take lightly the imagery of a shepherd;
remember the Lord is our Shepherd according to Psalm 23 and the Shepherd leads
with love, he does not drive with fear.
Next let’s take a look at the area of “Stewardship.”
Our primary focus here should be on developing dependability. You see exhibiting your fidelity toward
those whom you desire to lead is a crucial way of illustrating steadfastness of
your position regarding the management-subordinate relationship. While it is
true that you are always accountable to your leaders, you are also always
responsible to God for the actions you take on your own behalf or on behalf of
your subordinates. You must always be
faithful to Christ and, in all your dealings, with both directions of your
Chain-of-Command. This is because God, superiors and subordinates will
ultimately hold you accountable for the way you manage what has been entrusted
to you and that includes the lives and spiritual well being of all those you
encounter.
Next we need to look at the “Vision” required of a leader. The focus of our evaluation this time is on revelation. A leader must have a clear vision and be able to communicate that vision to those whom they lead and even at times to those whom they follow. They will frequently need to bring that righteous vision to bear on contemporary issues just as Samuel did. There will be times when you must be the bearer of bad news. At those times you must seek to find ways to communicate that unfortunate information honestly but with the greatest compassion. You must also lead during those difficult times with conviction using the wisdom gained from past experiences, present situations and even your insight regarding future possibilities. When you lead in this visionary manner, people will follow.
Last but not least we must take a look at the mandates for “Servanthood.” This will not be the easiest of the evaluation requirements will it? Well the major focal point here will be rights. You may not like to hear this, but a biblically informed and well seasoned leader will generally be found abdicating more and more of his or her own rights the higher the leadership position to which God elevates them becomes. That is because as a committed leader you will more often than not find yourself sacrificing your own rights or privileges for the good of those who follow you. If you are primarily motivated by power and not service, people may follow you for a season, but they will not follow you for long. I have heard it said many times in many different ways, and so have you by now, that you can be carried to victory on the shoulders of those who follow you or be trampled beneath their feet when they eventually catch up to you. The choice is yours, so make it and make it well known. Once you have decided whom you consider the most important, will you tell them or show them? I know I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day.
God has called everyone to join His army and a selected number of us to positions of leadership within that army. Every leader in God’s Army needs to be a servant. Servant-leadership is difficult for some of us to understand because it requires such a high level of selflessness. That is why He has not, nor will He ever elevate every servant to the heights of leadership. Yet even as a simple Christian soldier, you are a leader who will someday find yourself being the reason or the excuse for the way people respond to, or behave in relation to, the example you set.
Do you still want to climb that precarious pyramid of leadership? I hope so because the world is in dire need of real leaders. If you still want to be a leader you need to remember, that to be a successful leader in God’s kingdom you must adhere to biblical principles and work within the ordered system under the authority of God. While a King can be a maverick you as a leader cannot. You must be a trustworthy communicator, an example, a servant and under the conviction and authority of The Holy Spirit. That’s all there is to being as credible as Samuel. Are you ready to comply?
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