What is your normal reaction to success? (92-1)
Humility in leadership is required by God but not always sought after by leaders. Consider professional football on Sunday afternoon in America – an athlete makes a great play and then goes into some rehearsed celebration that draws attention to their accomplishment. Even athletes that have been embarrassed on several plays leading up to their exemplary moment draw attention to the one play as if it summarized their entire performance. When modeling humility is “countercultural” humility needs to be a conscious core truth that controls a leader’s actions and is demonstrated in the leader’s life. Read 2 Samuel 7.
David was a very successful king in Israel. He had conquered most of the nations that had been warring against Israel, lived in a beautiful palace and now desired to build a temple that would house the Ark of the Covenant – the very symbol of God dwelling among the people of Israel. David sought out Nathan the prophet to inquire of God if he would be allowed to build a temple. The answer came back no but your son will build the temple and not only that but “I (God) will establish the throne of your kingdom forever.”
The act of seeking out Nathan demonstrated David’s humility but the real demonstration of David’s humility came when he heard the answer “no – but.” When David heard the Lord’s covenant promise to establish his family line forever, he was humbled by God’s grace on his behalf. He used statements like “who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family that You have brought me this far?” He also said “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign Lord. For the sake of your Word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.” David’s core truth of humility was demonstrated in his reaction to a “no” and his recognition of his position and God’s position.
It is good for a leader to be humbled by grace, especially since our natural human tendency is to take grace for granted, as though God owed us something.
What is your normal reaction to success? Is your first response to hope “the right people” have noticed or is it to give credit to God and your team? Your answer will give some indication of your core values concerning humility.
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