
Leadership Lessons
Part 5
Part of LEADERSHIP LESSONS
October 4, 2023
- We are looking at some of the leadership traits of the Apostle Paul
- No question, he is one of history’s most influential people!
- Though he lived 2000 years ago, his life, example, and teachings continue to profoundly impact individual lives, the church worldwide, our church and society.
- To say Paul was a leader is an understatement!
- We should study him and emulate him!
- So far, we have looked at the following leadership qualities he lived:
- Humility – the most important trait for a leader to exhibit and the hardest to acquire.
- Accountability – He held himself accountable.
- Respect – Paul treated everyone, even those who held him captive, with respect!
- Perseverance/Endurance – He pushed through incredible hard times!
- All of these are required and lived by people that truly lead, don’t just call themselves leader.
- A title or position does not make a person a leader.
- It’s not what is ON you, it is what is IN you that MAKES you a leader!
- Too often, we see exhibited by “leaders” behavior that is destructive, hard to defend, vulgar, immature, territorial, out of control, etc.
- Yet, we see none of this in Paul’s life. – In fact, we see the opposite!
- Why? Was he just special, not of this world?
- Was it a gift working in his life, that others can’t acquire?
- Some would like to think these things so they could absolve themselves of their bad behavior!
- I think we find Paul’s wisdom in.
- I Cor 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child. I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
- “When I was a child” – All of us are children at some time in our development – all of us including Paul!
- Child – one unlearned, unenlightened without any definite limitation of age
- Meaning we don’t grow or age out of childhood
- It can be with us, define us, all of our lives!
- Paul went on to then define qualities of childhood behaviors:
- Spoke – talked too much
- How often we see/hear leaders that can’t shut up!
- To lead, you have to learn to be quiet so you can learn and as a result, your words carry more weight!
- Understood – to have a mindset of a child involves the will, affection, and conscience, opinions
- Leaders cannot have childish opinions.
- They must control and have stable affections.
- They follow their conscience.
- They are not stubborn!
- Thought – reason
- Reasoning is an integral part of our decision-making process.
- Children reason based on feelings, emotions, circumstances.
- Leaders cannot be ruled by these things!
- Leaders must reason based on wisdom, knowledge, and understanding!
- Became – came into existence
- Man – an adult of weight, importance, a LEADER!
- Paul is actually saying, “When I became a leader.”
- Put away – destroyed completely, complete cessation
- Clearly, leaders are grown-ups, practice ownership of their emotions, thoughts, attitudes, and ending of childish behavior.
- Childish behaviors – selfishness, temper tantrums, lying, hurt feelings, small and short-term thinking, easily frightened, eating wrong, etc. Let’s grow up! Let’s be adults! Let’s put away childish things so we can LEAD and LEAD WELL!