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So if you are a leader.....the person in charge......the one who is responsible for holding people accountable....Who watches you?
Without a compass to guide you, or a rule book to follow, a leader is in a position to bend the rules to include whatever they feel is acceptable. In Romans 7, Paul points out that one of the benefits of the Law is that it actually helps define what sin is. The Bible is a fantastic resource for leaders to ground themselves and understand what standard God is holding them to.
Knowing what is right and doing it are two totally different things. In Romans 7:18-19 Paul speaks about having the desire to do what is good, but not being able to carry it out. There is a constant struggle between understanding what is right in God's eyes and wanting to do what you know is wrong. This can be exacerbated when you are a leader and can rationalize away certain behavior, because there is no one there to hold you accountable.
So how do you battle the sinful nature that is within us all? The key is to stay focused on the Spirit. In Romans 8:26, Paul writes: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." He goes on to say in verse 28 that "....in all things God works for the good of those who love him.......If God is for us, who can be against us. (v31)
So let's talk about the tools that you have at your disposal to keep yourself from getting carried away with your authority....
1. The Bible - the more I live, the more I am convinced that the Bible gives you the rules of the game that God is expecting you to play. It maps out all of the "best practices" that will help you understand how God wants you to live your life. Most importantly it helps you focus.....Not on yourself but on God, and those around you.
2. The Holy Spirit - This is the member of the Trinity that usually gets overlooked. God sent the Holy Spirit to us to help us on Earth. The Spirit can actually help fix things that we don't even know are broken. In order to do this, we have to let Him KNOW us. Only through truly knowing someone, can you see when something is wrong that my be unrecognized.
3. Friends - God does most of his work through people. He surrounds us with people, expecting us to help each other. Find a close group of friends who are willing to be honest with you when they see something that concerns them....then listen to what they have to say.
God does not grade on a curve. There are things that are definitely right and most certainly wrong. And God knows that we are going to mess up as often as we do right. Be thankful for Grace, because if we had to follow all the rules to make God happy, we would be destined to fail. I think the key is to stay grounded in what the "standard" is and take note every time that we are off track. While God may not grade on a curve, he will give an "E" for Effort.
So in closing:
1. Use the Bible to ground yourself in what the rules are
2. Check yourself regularly to understand where you are off course
3. Ask for the Spirit to intercede when he sees you going astray
4. Ask for forgiveness when you are aware of your mistake
5. Ask for help to not make the mistake again
6. Do the work necessary to not repeat your shortfalls
Following these steps will not only keep you in check, but it will set a great example for those you lead. It will show them that you do what is right, not because the "boss says so" but because it is the right thing to do.
