Leaders

1 Cor 11:1; Luke 10:27; Matt 12:36

This is an election year. Often I think about those who wish to lead and look into their qualifications. I check into their ability to lead, which means do they live what they preach? I also look at the constitution (by the way have you read it lately) for those in office, even those who serve in the armed forces, pledge to defend the constitution against enemies both foreign and domestic. But most of all I look at their basic nature in relationship to Christ.

In 1 Cor 11:1, Paul says follow me as I follow Christ. I focus on the word as today. He did not say follow me. He said as I follow Christ. In other words we do not follow anyone who does not live out Christ's example. It was my daughter that causes me to look into this for she some how caught it early in life in reference to churches, husbands, and any leader. Many times we allow others to lead us with out this qualification. Regardless of who they are, a husband, parent, government official, civil authority, political party, family member, church leadership, teacher, regardless of who they are note their lives. Do they follow Christ's example?

What is Christ's example? What did Christ say? What is the fruit we look for in a leader?
It is stated often in scripture: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Do those you follow qualify? Do they think, talk and act like examples of Christ? Do they even come close? Now I am not talking about taking a magnifying glass and checking out every one's sins. We all sin. Christ died for our sins, forgave us and continues to as we surrender our lives to Him. I'm talking about the actions of their lives in relationship to leadership. Are those leaders surrendered enough to lead

Do we blindly follow people....NO
Do we trade freedom for safety...NO
Do we allow anyone access to our lives...NO
Do we believe everything someone says...NO

Do we check the qualifications...YES
Do we look for Christ's fruit in them...YES
Do we surrender to Christ....YES
Do we have the courage to face the demands of this reality...YES

Check out those you follow and see if they qualify. For there is only one person we surrender our freedom, our lives, our hearts to as Christians. His name is Christ Jesus. We follow Him and leaders who's actions (fruits) follow Him.

1 Cor. 11:1; Luke 10:27; Matt 12:34