1 Corinthians 14:1
“Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.”

Leadership is never easy, and not everyone should be given a leadership position. Many have acquired leadership positions only to hurt the organization where they lead. Many churches have been hurt because of pastors, staff members, and ministry leaders who were given a leadership position when they were not ready. Getting a leadership position is not a right because of a family name or because of seniority, but it should only be given because it has been earned. In the verse above, God shows the ladder someone should climb before they acquire a leadership position.

The first rung to climbing towards leadership is to follow. God says in the verse above, “Follow…” If a person doesn’t know how to follow, they certainly won’t know how to lead. One of the reasons a person should work their way up from the bottom is because they must learn to follow people in each step of leadership. A person who jumps from the bottom to the top doesn’t know how to follow. Following teaches you what leadership should do. Following shows you the frustration of followers. Following makes you appreciate every position you earn. Following makes you more careful that you don’t do things that would cost you the position you have earned. Following gives you credence in the eyes of others that you deserve the position to which you were promoted.

The second rung to climbing towards leadership is desire. The verse above says, “…desire spiritual gifts…” Desire is the hunger inside that yearns for something bigger. Desire is the vision you acquire to build. Without desire, you will have no drive to do more than what you are already doing. Desire causes you to set aside things that are not wrong, but things that will hinder the cause for which you desire. Desire motivates you to have the character to do the right thing so you can continue to get closer to your vision. Desire makes you go when you don’t feel like going. Desire gets you out of bed when you are tired. Desire stirs you to go to work when you are sick and don’t feel like working. Desire makes you tell others, “No,” when they want you to play but you need to work towards your vision. No person should ever hold a leadership position who doesn’t have desire.

The third rung to climbing towards leadership is serving. The verse above says, “… desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.” The prophesying talked about in this verse is serving others. When you learn to follow with a desire to do more for Christ, you will learn that serving others is one of the great purposes of leadership. Leadership is not a right to serve your own agenda, but it is a directive to serve others. The person who doesn’t want to serve should never be given a leadership position. People who desire the title and power of position should never be entrusted with the privilege to lead through serving others.

The key to climbing the ladder towards position is charity. If you love those you lead, you will use your gifts not to enrich yourself, but you will use them to help others become what God wants them to be. If a person doesn’t love people, they should never be trusted to lead because their lack of love will cause them to run over people just to get things done, and that will hurt the cause you are trying to accomplish. My friend, instead of looking to lead, learn to follow, serve, and love people, and a leadership position will find you.

Author: Allen Domelle