Leadership, Men

Who Leads the Leader?

No Comments 10 April 2010

Listen to the story of Boyd and Wanda Cochran from our church Evergreen Community Church in Bothell, Washington.

Scripture

They rose about daybreak and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”-and the servant did so-”but you stay here awhile, so that I may give you a message from God.” 1 Samuel 9:26-27

Observation
The servant leads the king. That is the whole problem with Saul’s leadership over Israel. The fissure in Saul’s personality is obvious from the first day on the job. His leadership opens on the pages of history with the story of lost donkeys and Saul’s hunt to find them accompanied with his servant. Instead of Saul leading the expedition, it is the slave at every step who perceives and encourages. The leader is following his employee.

Compare this to Saul’s son Jonathan. A few years later, while Saul is biting his manicure off in fear of his enemies, Jonathan has the courage to act. He calls his servant to follow him in a risky attack. His slave replies, “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” (1 Sam 14:7)

Saul was not the leader he could have been because the king followed his servant and a son was greater than his father.

Application
I do not want Saul’s problem to be my problem. I know the voice of God. I can see a way forward. I have friends with me on this journey. They are good friends to encourage me, but only God can lead me. As a leader I must choose to be led by God. I must protect the times that no one has access to me except God. That requires me to walk into the vacuum of aloneness that every leader feels and live with the void behind him, unsure in the first moments if anyone will follow. I need friends with me on this journey but only God can go before me. I want to be a Jonathan and not a Saul.

Prayer
Today, help me to lead as I’m led by you and you alone. Keep my friends who correct me, console me and occasionally to confront me so that I may follow you better. Amen.

Courage, Fear, Men, Women

Courage Doesn’t Feel Courageous

No Comments 28 March 2008

Press the arrow to listen to Mighty to Save from Hillsong while you are reading today’s devotion.

Scripture
March on with courage, my soul! Judges 5:21

Observation
When most soldiers march behind armor, the men of this era in Bible history hid behind their mother’s apron. Barak (no relation to Obama) was the General Eisenhower of his day; he was the man standing between desolation and civilization. All eyes were on Barak, but he was suffering panic attacks. Instead of leading the people he ran to his spiritual mother and asked her to go along with him. That would be like George Washington asking for his mama to hold his hand as he crossed the Delaware. Something obviously was wrong, but what exactly?

What Barak faced is what many men face in those self-esteem stripping moments of life. When a man faces a challenge, fear strips away layers like paint stripper, exposing his raw nerves. At that moment a man has two choices.

The first is comfort, especially the comfort of a woman. It can be his mother or a wife he treats like his mother to console him. This is why men turn to pornography, fantasy, adultery and the like in times of stress. In fact, whenever a man is facing unusual sexual temptation he needs to ask himself what challenges is he facing and how is he avoiding them?

The other choice a man has is courage. Courage isn’t what is cracked up to be in the movies. Courage is not a comforting feeling. Courage is a lonely, cold emotion. At the core of tangled terrify feelings, courage is a resolve to press forward no matter what. Courage is not being unafraid, but committed to the cause even when one is afraid. Naturally, lesser men retract from courage and flee into comfort.

All men struggle with the comfort vs courage choice Barak did, it is just that his example is more stark than other men.  David turned to Bathsheba, Abraham used Sarah as a body shield in Egypt, and of course don’t even mention the womanizer King Solomon.

Application
The question lands at the front door of every man: will I be courageous or will I seek for comfort? Courage requires a contentment with unsettling feelings and self-doubt, but on the other side lays self-respect. Today I chose courage.

Prayer
Father, I like the simplicity of Deborah’s prayer: March on with courage, my soul! As I take that choice enflame me with strength. Amen.


I'm Phil McCallum, a husband, father and most of all one of the people Jesus loves. I'm privileged to serve Evergreen Community Church in Bothell, Washington as Senior Pastor where people love enough to believe "it's all about relationships." In 1982 I made a vow to read God's word daily and apply it to life. Each day I write out my reflections. Some days I post those on my blog. It's a little personal but it's my hope it will stir you to go deeper still. Learn how I do my devotions. These are my thoughts and not necessarily those of the ministry I serve. By the way check out the computer study Bible Glo. I highly recommend it.

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