Faithful Leadership

Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2-4

Years ago, a seasoned pastor was faced with a tough decision. This pastor knew whatever choice he made there would be members of his church congregation who disagreed and who would vocally oppose the choice this pastor made. So the pastor prayed, he studied biblical examples, he sought wise counsel, and he waited for the best choice to become clear. He was sure of one thing: there would be no easy choice.

In I Corinthians 4, Paul spoke of a similar situation, and his words resonate through the ages to those of us tasked with making difficult decisions. We want to make the best choice possible while doing the least amount of damage to others, to the organization (or family or community), and to our integrity.

As Paul reminds us, having a clear conscience doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve made the right choice. What’s at stake is something even more important than the consequences of the choice. In some cases, we may never know if the choice we’ve made was the best possible choice. In those moments, what matters most is faithfulness: faithfulness to God and to those entrusted to our care.

In tough situations, it’s easy to take the path of least resistance, and it’s tempting to make the popular choice. But faithful leadership often requires a more difficult path. In those moments, the opinion of people should never take the place of what we believe God would have us do, even when people disagree.

BIBLE PASSAGE:

Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.

I Corinthians 4:2-4

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: When you have a tough decision to make, what strategies do you use to help you find your way? What have you learned about faithful leadership? When people disagree with your leadership, how do you respond to them?

PRAYER: Our desire, Lord, is to be faithful in the leadership you’ve entrusted to us. When we find ourselves facing difficult decisions, keep us from being swayed by popular opinion. Give us the courage to do our best, and to honor you in all things. Amen.