Christian Leaderhip in A Secular World (Part 2)

 In chapter 5 Paul asks us to walk in Love, Wisdom, Light and he takes some time to focus on how Godly leadership should be modeled within the Christian home.  He specifically calls on us to be imitators of God and to walk in love as Christ so loved the church.  He also calls on us to set our priorities right and make sure that we redeem our time.  Paul says that as Christian leaders we are to walk cautiously not as fools but as wise men making sure that we use our time wisely.  The passage goes on to say that the world is an evil place and misuse of our time and poor decisions can lead to really bad consequences.    This passage of scripture in particular should be required reading for high school students everywhere.   As a former high school teacher I can remember numerous times when poor decisions and misuse of time led to disastrous results for some of my students. 

                Maybe one of the most misunderstood passages of the Bible comes from this chapter of Ephesians and that is the role of the husband and wife in marriage.  For years people have focused on the submission of wives to their husbands without really looking at the role God calls men to in the very next verse.  In the commentary section of the Maxwell Leadership Bible it says that this is not a call for power and control but rather an outline for how mutual submission is the model for successful marriage.  God does call women to submit to their husband’s authority but the story does not end there.  God also calls the husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church.  Think about that for a moment because we are talking about a far reaching unconditional love that calls for the husband to even give up his life for his spouse should the situation require it.  Christ modeled this kind of love for us by taking our sins and dying on the cross so that we could enter into Heaven through his sacrifice.  In my view this kind of submission must be exhibited by both parties in order for the marriage to be truly grounded in biblical principles.  Paul also instructs us on how to interact with our children and on how children should honor their parents.  In a country where now more than 50% of all marriages end in divorce these verses of scripture alone could transform this country into a very different place.

                Paul finally instructs on how to face the evil of this world by protecting ourselves with the full armor of God.  Evil exists in this world and we all need to make sure that we are prepared when the time comes for us stand in the breech against those who would do us harm.  This passage is something that is taught in Sunday school and vacation bible school across this country but as I have gotten older it has taken on new meaning to me.   Having served in the military this illustration really means even more to me and I can picture each part of the armor and understand the significance it plays.  This is information that leaders need because the pressures of this world are constantly pulling against the spiritual directives given to us through God’s word.  Guarding ourselves against this kind of depravity is the first step in being successful in both our personal and professional endeavors.

                As Christian leaders continue to try and find balance in their lives they can look to Paul’s writings in Ephesians as the guide they need to direct them in how to relate spiritually with those that they come into contact with.  These scriptures touch on every aspect of the leader’s life and give practical examples and directions needed to navigate through this imperfect world.  The common theme that develops through all of these passages is that of service to others above self which is completely opposite from the teachings of this world.  Leaders will do well to invest in their people through a servant based leadership model and apply these principles is all areas of their lives.  God calls us to leadership but he does not send us out into the wilderness without clear direction as to how to move forward.  These passages teach us all how to make sure we are living a life that is worthy.