Lead from the Front

"Now you, if you call yourself a Jew;

if you rely on the law and

 brag about your relationship to God;

if you know his will and approve of what is superior

because you are instructed by the law;

if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind,

a light for those who are in the dark,

an instructor of the foolish,

a teacher of infants,

because you have in the law 

the embodiment of knowledge and truth--

you, then, who teach others,

do you not teach yourself?

You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

You who say that people should not commit adultery,

do you commit adultery?

You who abhor idols,

do you rob temples?

You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

. . .A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly,

nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.

No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly;

and circumcision is circumcision of the heart,

by the Spirit,

not by the written code.

Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God."

Romans 2:17-23, 28-29

When my husband served in the U.S. Army, he was elected to the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club.  Members of this exclusive group, "exemplify leadership characterized by personal concern for the needs, training, development, and welfare of Soldiers and concern for families of Soldiers (FORSCOM Reg. 600-8, paragraph 1)."

The club was first formed in 1986 to recognize enlisted leaders who best represent the characteristics of it's namesake who is known as the most decorated U.S. combat Soldier serving in World War II.   Sergeant Murphy gave himself fully to each battle and was known for going above and beyond the call of duty, looking to the welfare of others before his own.  He never asked his soldiers to do anything he wasn't willing to do himself, inspiring organizers to give the club the motto of, "You lead from the front."

Just as Audie Murphy set a good example for soldiers by expecting more from himself than from those he led, I need to first and foremost apply God's Word to myself in order to set a good example for those who are watching.  I can't expect those who are following me to change if I'm not willing to change.

Humility

When Jesus became human, injecting Himself into the world He created, He was the picture of humility.  Philippians 2:6-8 describes the extent of His meekness when He stripped Himself of all the privileges, dignities and rights that lawfully belong to Him as God, and lowered Himself to the position of a lowly servant.  Even more astounding is that even though all power and authority to save Himself was at His disposal, He obeyed His Father on every point, even unto death on a cross!

While Jesus rightfully deserves glory and honor and praise, I do not.  As a follower of the King of kings, I must keep in mind my true identity if I am going to effectively lead from the front.  Firstly, I can never forget that I am a sinner. (Ecclesiastes 7:20)  My only hope is in Jesus who saved me from the certain death my sins deserve.  I am a sinner saved by grace. (Romans 3:23-24)

Secondly, I am incapable of doing good. (Psalm 14:3, Romans 7:18)  I like to think of myself as basically good, like a strong rope with a few kinks to work out.  It makes me feel good to believe that I'm not too bad and can accomplish much good if I try hard enough.  The truth is, though, that apart from Jesus, I have no hope of doing anything that counts in God's kingdom.  (John 15:5-8) I can't impress God with my efforts or my own idea of doing good.  God is the source of all good things.  (James 13:16-17)

Thirdly, as a sinner, I am capable of committing any kind of sin.  For instance, it's easy for me to look down on a woman who kills her own children, thinking I could never do that.  Because of my sin nature, however, I need only find myself in the right circumstances that would send me over the edge where I would stoop to that same level.  I cannot deny my sin nature. (Galatians 5:17)

My only hope of humbling myself as Jesus did is to remember my true identity.  Keeping this godly perspective helps me to guard against the love-eating beast of self-righteousness which regularly rears it's ugly head.

Humility is necessary if I'm going to lead from the front and is only possible when I remember my true identity.

Motivation

Backbiting.  Gossip.  Slander.   Selfish Ambition.  Anger.  Greed.   Envy.    This reads like a promo for the latest soap opera or prime-time television show but it also, unfortunately, describes activities and attitudes that can be found in many local churches.  

Pastor Gerald Cornelius reminds me of the true calling of the body of Christ.  He says, "The job of firefighters is to put out fires, not start them.  The job of Christians is to help resolve conflict (Matthew 5:9), not start more of it."  We are called to be peacemakers. (Romans 12:18)

Because I sometimes seem to create more conflict than I resolve, I must be careful of my motivation when righting a wrong.  If it is my intention to direct others to the Truth, my message will be more well-received than if I simply want to point out where my brother or sister is wrong.  If ever I feel the need to help someone along, I had better first check my heart attitude.

If my purpose for reaching out to someone who is caught in sin is to restore their relationship with Christ, the love I hold for their well-being will be noticed.  When I'm only concerned with showing disapproval of their choices, then my efforts will probably end in conflict.

Leading from the front makes it sometimes necessary to confront sin while always striving to keep my motivation pure.

Focus

Springtime is when many students who are expecting to graduate soon experience something I call, "Senioritis."  This is when many focus more on the future and get distracted from their studies, thinking they are already going to graduate, so why worry?  It also becomes more difficult for graduating seniors to concentrate on school work when freedom is looming so close at hand.

As a follower of Christ, there are many things on which I can concentrate.  Sometimes I get caught up in focusing mostly on the law of God found in His Word.  Other times I turn toward all the unspoken rules I learn from hanging around other Christians and strive to not offend.

If I am going to lead by example, though, it is Christ who must always be in the center of my radar.  Jesus is my only hope; by keeping my eyes on Him, I am able to run the race that is designed for me. (Hebrews 12:21-2)  Otherwise, I get distracted by what everyone else is doing.

Keeping in mind that it is only by grace that I can please God also helps to keep me on-track.  I was made to do the things that He created for me to do and I can only accomplish because I've been saved by the blood of Jesus. In my own sinful state, it is impossible for me to give pleasure to a holy God. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Many times I also lose focus and start to think I can change myself.  It is then that I need to re-calibrate my way of thinking and give God the free-reign in my life and allow Him to mold me into the image of His Son. (Romans 12:2, Romans 8:29)

In order to lead from the front, my focus must stay on Christ where it can propel me toward Him.

No one would argue the point that the church is many times more of a club for saints than a hospital for sinners.   If I want to see a change to occur, though, I must start with myself.  In my heart there must be true humility, a pure motivation and a strong Christ-centered focus.  Then I will be leading from the front.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can think of myself as a leader.

How do I easily lose focus and to what do I tend to shift my attention?

When am I motivated more by insecurity than by a desire to restore someone to Christ?