The Inspiring Leader
There are leaders who have inspired me by their insight and their ability to navigate difficult circumstances admirably. Some leaders lead with good counsel. Other leaders lead with good instincts. There are some leaders who are not really leaders, they are puppets with the strings being pulled by others.
When I read the history books of how some leaders went off to war, I am inspired to see the leader leading the charge into battle. I’m thinking if the leader gets killed, the inspiration will be taken and the battle lost by the warriors without a leader. The cause must be bigger than the leader for the battle to continue.
King David was an inspirational leader and he was also a warrior. He was not afraid of a fight.
15 Once again the Philistines were at war with Israel. And when David and his men were in the thick of battle, David became weak and exhausted. 16 Ishbi-benob was a descendant of the giants; his bronze spearhead weighed more than seven pounds, and he was armed with a new sword. He had cornered David and was about to kill him. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue and killed the Philistine. Then David’s men declared, “You are not going out to battle with us again! Why risk snuffing out the light of Israel?” (2 Samuel 21:15-17 NLT)
There is a place for the warriors.
There is a place for the leader and the strategist.
Sometimes when I’m in the thick of a battle, my view of the big picture is skewed. It’s helpful to step back and take a five-thousand-foot flyover to grasp how this battle fits into the big picture. There are times that the “flyover” inspires me to push through the difficult battles and keep moving toward winning the war.
Inspirational leaders often have battle scars and a story behind each scar. I am willing to follow someone who has been where I am and fought some of the same battles and won. I want to follow leaders who are genuine and down to earth. I want to follow leaders who lead, not just with their words, but with their very lives as well.
Pressing On!
Dwayne