Some ‘leaders’ are good managers: they have practical sense, people skills and the ability to get excellent team results. But there is a huge difference between true ‘leadership’ and ‘management’.
True leadership is about example and integrity, living a vision and being passionate about it, and even if unknowingly, imparting it to others; it is choosing to live outside one’s restricted circle and exist for a wider one.
Leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Ghandi and Martin Luther King lived what they taught and managed to affect the conscience of a nation, indeed of the world. Their vision was imbedded in a sense of justice and their own personal lives were deeply caught up in it. They loved their people and each in turn was a ‘father’ to them.
They were leaders not just by the fact they spearheaded movements; they were leaders by virtue of what they were.
God calls for leaders; I’m not talking about those who’ve been to theological college or leaders’ training events. They’re not even people who aim to be leaders; they’re leaders because they live a vision and their words and actions match; they lead because their ambition is to love the things God loves with passion.
The world is short of great known leaders; it’s short of great-unknown leaders too; the latter can be old, young, male or female and come from any strata of society; they may not make newspaper headlines when they die but those around will have been deeply affected by their lives.
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