Leaders need grace too. Those following a leader in some capacity need to understand those four words. Leaders aren’t perfect. They are imperfect people trying to take other imperfect people on a journey of sorts. Let’s look at 5 reasons to offer your leader grace:
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They have never been to where they are leading you.
Just because someone is leading does not mean they have been there before. They very well may have been the only person willing to go first. God is not looking for the most talented or most qualified. There is a popular quote that says, “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.”
Example: Lets look at Moses. God called Moses to do something he had NEVER done before. Moses even argued with God about his lack of skill in the area of public speaking and leading. The Israelites were not present when he humbly discussed his lack of experience with God. I am sure there were many days where Moses’ followers were criticizing his every move and he just wanted to say, “Look, I didn’t sign up for this gig!” In addition, Moses was leading people to a place he had never been.
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God may have communicated something to the leader that he hasn’t communicated to you. When God calls a leader to lead they are walking out their leadership in faith. Similarly, you are going to need to follow in faith. God is very creative in scripture. He rarely does the same thing twice. God split the sea, stopped time, confused enemies, provided provision in the most unexpected ways (and we don’t have time for me to list them here), turned water into wine, healed blind eyes with mud, stopped storms, closed lions’ mouths, and raised the dead. Need I go on??
Example: In 2 Kings 5 is a story of a man named Naaman. He was the commander in the army under the king of Syria. He had a disease called leprosy. Naaman’s servant told him of a prophet in Israel that could help him. There is so much to this story but for the purpose of this point we will skip some of the other amazing teaching lessons. The prophet told Naaman to dip in the river 7 times. Naaman thought that was insane, as he knew of other cleaner rivers. He was not interested in following the unconventional instructions. He had an idea and/or expectation of what he thought the prophet would do in order to heal him and this was clearly not it. He eventually did as he was instructed, which actually took a lot of faith for this highly respected army commander to go dip publicly 7 times in a river less clean than others he mentions in scripture. He was following in faith! And might I add, he was a leader that was simultaneously learning to follow.
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The leader has been through training and life experiences privately that you were not present for. You may think a leader is not ready for their role based on the limited knowledge that you have of their life while actually they have walked through life experiences and training that were lived out privately. God may have taken them through tests and trials that he forgot to share with you.
Example: David was simply tending sheep when he encountered both the lion and the bear. God was preparing him privately for public leadership. David did not hesitate to lead the Israelites to victory by defeating Goliath. No one on the battle field thought he was ready but God had been preparing him.
1 Samuel 17:37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.
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God uses mistakes. Even if you follow a leader that makes a mistake (either intentionally or unintentionally) God will use the circumstances for your good and His glory. God is not surprised when we mess up.
Example: Adam and Eve are the ultimate example of leaders making a mistake. God was not surprised by Adam and Eve’s sin. He was not wondering what He would do once they had disobeyed. He already had a plan. JESUS!! That is great news for those of us still following or leading imperfect people. God still has a plan!
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You will one day transition from follower to leader and you too will need that same grace. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus gives the great commission to go and make disciples. Jesus was not only speaking to the disciples, but to all believers. There is no hidden meaning or symbolism in those words. They clearly state that you too will be a leader.
Example: David is an extraordinary example for this point. He was intentionally lead by Saul in a way that David knew was wrong. The Bible says he had the opportunity in a cave where Saul was looking to kill him, to take Saul out, and he didn’t. He chose to offer grace. David was a strong warrior and had good reason to kill Saul, but he didn’t. When David became king, he too made bad decisions that sadly affected those he lead and at that point, he too needed that same grace that he had offered to Saul. We ALL need grace.
The relationship between leading and following is part of God’s plan. Jesus says in the New Testament that He did as the father told Him. In turn, Jesus then led the disciples. After Jesus ascended, the disciples began to lead, and in Acts the church is birthed. The church is birthed because followers became leaders. Offering grace to those leading is God’s love in action. Great leaders need great followers! And great followers need great leaders!
Love it! Love it! Love it!
Every organization needs to read this
Love reading your posts! Always encouraging!