Leadership is an Art and Money: Learn to Deal with it

There are as many sayings about leadership as there are leadership styles. The forceful leader says, "Lead, follow, or get out of the way." The reluctant leader says, "Lead by example." The business leader says, "A great leader puts his vision into action." To do that we have to go to the greatest leader ever, the person who has impacted more people and changed more lives for the better than anyone else-Jesus Christ.

Jesus never wrote a book on leadership. He was never elected to public office and never ran a company. Although Jesus once spoke to more than five thousand people (before giving them a free lunch), He focused His attention on twelve ordinary men. He really preferred to relate to people one at a time.

Just because Jesus never hit the motivational speaking circuit or traveled more than a hundred miles from his hometown doesn't mean He didn't address the core values of leadership, because He knew His followers would have to carry on His teachings long after He was gone.

One of the last things Jesus said to His followers concerned leadership. He told them, "Those who aren't greatest should take the lowest rank, and the leader should like a servant" (Like 22:26 NLT)

There you have it. The greatest leadership principle ever from the greatest leader ever. If you want to lead, you have to serve. If you want to be the leader of many people, you have to serve many people. There are many examples of leaders who are ruthless, self-serving and greedy. You can find them in business, in government, and in families. But such leaders ultimately fail to let God into the details of their lives. They shut Him out completely while trying to manage their little kingdoms.

If you want to a great leader in God's Kingdom-the only one that counts for eternity-then you need to let God into the small stuff of your life as you faithfully serve others.❤

• Being a good example is better than giving advice.

What is is about money that causes business partnerships to dissolve, friendships to break apart, and marriage to end? More accurately, what is about money that motivates people to turn against each other?

As usual, the answer to this crucial question can be found in the Bible. Actually, money is the major topic in the Bible. Jesus frequently talked about money because He knew that its most damaging effect is to keep people away from God. He once said, " It is very hard for a rich person to get into the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 19:23 NLT)

The reason why money makes us greedy is because we want it so much. And the reason why money can keep up away from God is because we're afraid we're going to lose it. Jesus addressed this incredible human tendency toward Blaine stupidity (if rejecting eternal life with God for the temporary pleasures of money isn't stupidity, we don't know what is) when He said, "How do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forget your own soul in the process?" (Like 9:25 NLT) Good question. So why do we do what we do when it comes to money? Why do we work so hard to get it and then work ever harder to keep it?

We think it has something to with ownership. If there's one quality we humans value above all others, it's self reliance. And there's nothing that demonstrates self-reliance more than ownership. We love to own stuff because we love the feeling of controlling the details of our lives. It doesn't matter if you're running a multinational corporation or cashing your checks at Paychecks plus each week; you love the feeling that money gives you.

There's only one way to release money's grip on our lives, and that's to give up the idea of ownership. We've got to realize that God is the real owner of everything we have. No, He doesn't need all your stuff (hey, you don't even need all your stuff), but He does want your heart. He wants you to let Him into the details of your life-especially all your stuff- so He can lift you to a higher level of living. "After all," wrote the apostle Paul, " we didn't bring anything with us when we came into the world, and we certainly cannot carry anything with us when we die" (1 Timothy 6:7 NLT)

At best, our job is to manage what God has blessed us with. In fact, that's why God put us on this planet in the first place-to manage His stuff, which includes His rivers, season, plants, animals, and resources.

Don't get me wrong. God doesn't want you to be foolish with money. Live wisely and share with those in need. Above all, seek God and His Kingdom first, and He'll provide for everything you need.❤