For years I treated “leading” like a four-letter word. I described what I did only in safer terms like “helping,” “serving” or maybe “facilitating.” If I accidentally used the word I’d blush and quickly follow it with an apology (as if I’d cussed like a sailor) or a disclaimer (“I don’t mean I’m a real leader”).
But slowly, gently, insistently God began revealing to me that leading is something everyone is called to. When Jesus said, “Go and make disciples” He was talking to all of us. And I’ve come to believe that’s what leading really means: it’s simply living in a way that helps others follow Jesus.
So why is it so hard for us to say we’re “leaders”? I think a lot of our struggle comes from having a one-size-fits-all image of leadership. Then we say, “Leaders are loud and I’m quiet.” Or “Leaders are fearless and I don’t always feel courageous.” Maybe “Leaders have been given a formal, fancy role and I’m just a….(student, mom, volunteer).”
But the reality is we serve a creative God and there are as many kinds of leaders as there are opportunities for leading. Yes, some people are corporate leaders who have the corner office. Some are comfortable on a stage with a microphone in their hands. Some are networkers who seem to make a thousand friends in five minutes.
But some are thought leaders who influence through ideas birthed in silence and solitude. Some are relational leaders who move others simply because of the depth of their caring. Some are practical leaders who work in orderly, ordinary ways that may go unnoticed but actually make everything else possible.
We don’t need to be like anyone else in order to lead; we only need to be like Jesus. He has a specific assignment for each of us. And we are designed to complete it.
If this still sounds a bit scandalous ask yourself, “In the past week, when did I simply help someone take another step?” Maybe you offered just the words a friend needed to get through a hard day. Perhaps you guided your kiddo through a tough homework assignment. Your insight might have played an important role in a project being completed at work. I would challenge you that in all those moments you were a leader.
Oops, did I say “leader”? What I really meant to say was…wait, that really is what I meant to say. The time has come for us to be brave enough to own that word. We may do so with our knees knocking in our cute shoes. We may feel like someone is going to find out we’re a fraud at any moment. We may wish we could hightail it back to our comfort zone.
But we will stay. We will stand tall. We will dare to say it. Because we are women. Because we are daughters of the King. Because we are leaders.
XOXO
Holley Gerth
I originally shared the post above as an article for Propel. But as we wrap up our You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide Book Club it’s coming to mind again. Because I have a challenge for you: Now that you’ve gone through the material, will you facilitate a LifeGrowth Guide group either in person or online? Everything you need is in the back of the You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide. I provided resources so that even if you’ve never led anything — you can do this. That’s my dare and invitation for you. And I’ll be cheering you on all the way!
Discussion: How will you pass on what you’ve received through our time together? {Subscribers, click here to come to the blog post so you can leave a comment.}
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Go Deeper
- Watch all of the You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide Videos
- Join the LifeGrowth discussion in the Women Leading Women Facebook Group
- Write a blog post about something God taught you during the Book Club and share it this Wednesday as part of the next Coffee for Your Heart link-up
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This post is part of the You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide Book Club. You can still get your copy of the LifeGrowth Guide and you can read all the book club posts here. If you’d like to be the first to hear about future book clubs, become an official member and get a free printable.
