Just Lead: You Are The Light Of The World

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What is a leader?  It seems that different people have different answers to that question, so it depends on who you ask.  So, why don’t we ask Jesus?  Jesus was very clear about what a leader is, and his answer might just surprise you.

Life group discussion questions are easy to get to… Just click to “read more.”

If you’re the group discussion leader, just have everyone in the group open this page on their mobile device.  Take turns reading the questions, and make sure everyone has a chance to contribute.  Make sure to remind everyone that this discussion is based on Sunday’s message, so it will only make real sense after you’ve heard the message.  If you miss a Sunday, you can always listen to the message online.. Just subscribe to our podcast and it will always be delivered right to you as soon as it is available.

On Sunday, we started a new series of messages and discussion called “Just Lead.”  The idea behind this series is what Jesus says about us in the Sermon on the Mount…

Matthew 5:14
YOU are the light of the world…

Okay, so you probably knew this truth already, but did Sunday’s message generate any new thoughts about this in you?

One of the points was that “it isn’t the position, it is the person.”  What does that mean to you?

Who has been an influencer in your life?  How did they influence you?

So, if it is the person, rather than the position… What does that mean for each of us? What kind of people should we be striving to become?  How should we go about that?

You know the iceberg illustration, right?  Only 10% of the iceberg is visible above the surface of the water.  The other 90%… MOST of what makes the iceberg what it is lurks invisibly below water level.

glacier_iceberg_under_water

We are like the iceberg. For us, there is the “visible” us… The part of us people actually see… Our skills, talents, abilities, and our social veneer.  But the core of who we are… The 90% of each of us is our character.  Our character is the core of our being.

From your perspective, which (10%, or 90%) does the average person spend the most time/energy/effort developing?  (for example, how much time to we spend in the bathroom getting ready each day, vs the time spent on our knees praying, or reading His Word?)

If we are the light of the world, do we need to make an adjustment here?  How can we brighten our light?

Here is the key principle:

You must lead yourself before you can effectively lead others.

What do you think of that?  Is that principle true?

Think of it this way… Are people willing to follow someone who doesn’t practice what they preach?

  • a 350-lb physical trainer?
  • A politician who takes secret money from special interests?
  • A drunk, abusive pastor?

Corrupt character undermines our ability to light our world, and sooner or later, hypocrisy becomes obvious.  Jesus said so himself:

Luke 6:43-45
“A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.”

It is character, not skills or abilities, that build credibility in our lives, and allows us to become light to others.

 

So, if I am the light to my neighbors, how can my light be brightened?

If I am the light to my co-workers, how can my light be brightened?

If I am the light to my spouse, how can my light be brightened?