I've been reading a lot lately, particularly about business culture and Leadership from a Godly perspective. I'll post the books on Blackboard at some point, but the one on Leadership, Leadership as an Identity, got me thinking this week. I'm currently working on a colossal business project with five other men.Â
It's exciting and overwhelming all at once. It's exciting because I'm witnessing a vision take shape, attract others committed to making it a reality, and materialize with each milestone achieved. It's overwhelming for the sheer magnitude of the mountain we're attempting to ascend.
The idea is just a magazine pic, a romantic notion, a call to adventure. Only when you're at the foot of the mountain feeling the chill and going over the daunting road ahead do you appreciate the complexities and overall difficulty of the path set before you, a way you chose nonetheless.
And so the question is why? That's the question the book posed. In all men, especially those in Leadership, there's a continuous pull toward pride that we have to crucify daily in all that we do. Otherwise, we can start thinking that we're special, the secret ingredient and that we've earned the people's respect. We humble ourselves, or we can expect God to humble us at some point. Pride goes before the fall, as the scriptures say1.
So again, why are you doing it, whatever it is? Is it for fame, money, or the power over people, including the ego-feeding power of sexual seduction? There’s no question that those desires guide some men and women. It made me pause to think about why I was at the foot of this mountain, looking and hoping to reach the top. Each one of those desires could indeed be fulfilled at the summit.Â
I went through them one by one:
FAME: There was a time in my youth when it appealed to me, but with age and wisdom, this desire has waned considerably. Celebrity has its perks, but I’d prefer the anonymity of being able to walk down the street if I had the choice.
MONEY:Â Money is the answer for everything2. But money is not the driving force. However, what I do find appealing about money is the opportunities and the influence it affords3.
POWER: It’s the favor of God. It’s not for the control. Although, there’s a tremendous amount of good one can do so long as power is possessed by the disciplined and wielded toward righteous ends.
SEXUAL SEDUCTION: When men have money, power, and fame in abundance, sexual seduction becomes very easy. I imagine the temptation might be more robust with affluence, given the ability to manage the consequences of one’s actions, but in the end, I fear God. My fidelity is to God, and I prefer to drink water from my cistern4.
Let’s be clear; I’m not above being driven or poisoned by any or all of these desires. It’s only by living according to God’s word that allows me to overcome my weaknesses5.
Still, neither of these desires connect to my why directly. Creating is half my why. Business is like art in that sense. I’m passionate about bringing ideas to life that didn’t exist yesterday, and more often than not, I bite off more than I can chew.
But what’s different about this project is that I’m taking a backseat and keeping God at the front where he ought to be in every endeavor. If we summit, there’s no question that all glory goes to God. The other half of my why is to become the type of leader others want to follow because I follow God.
To Thy Matchless Glory👑
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18
A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything. - Ecclesiastes 10:19
Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts. - Proverbs 19:6
Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. - Proverbs 5:15
How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. - Psalms 119:9