Challenged Leadership
"By this time they had arrived in Jerusalem again. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders came up to him. They demanded, 'By whose authority did you drive out the merchants from the Temple? Who gave you such authority?' 'I'll tell you who gave me authority to do these things if you answer one question,' Jesus replied. 'Did John's baptism come from heaven or was it merely human? Answer me!' They talked it over among themselves. 'If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe him. But do we dare say it was merely human?' For they were afraid that the people would start a riot, since everyone thought that John was a prophet. So they finally replied, 'We don't know.' And Jesus responded, 'Then I won't answer your question either. '" Mark 11:27-33 (NLT).
Leaders will be challenged no matter who they are. Their authority will be questioned; their plans opposed; their actions contested; and their leadership disputed. It does not matter who you are or what your name is; nor does it matter how educated your are or how long you have been leading or how impeccable your reputation is - you will be challenged.
You will be challenged in the minds of those who believe themselves to be better leaders than you. You will be challenged by those who feel that they are smarter and more capable than you. You will be challenged by people who do not understand your vision or your heart. You will be challenged by people who truly are better leaders than you but may not know how to support you rightly - so they challenge instead. You will be challenged by those who mistakenly believe that you are out to get them. You will be challenged by those who hate you and all you stand for - - it doesn't have to make sense, it didn't make sense for Jesus to be challenged but he was anyway.
Then there will be those who are jealous of your popularity and success. They will be green with envy when they see how others admire and follow you. They will burn with resentment at the fact that they cannot be admired and followed like you. The religious leaders of Jesus' day deeply resented him and were intensely jealous of his popularity.
It is the way of leadership. It cannot be avoided. It will not fail to happen. It is part of the picture. If you are a leader, your authority and actions and life and leadership will be challenged - again and again.
You get what Jesus got. Do you think yourself better than him? If he was continually challenged, you will be too. So just get used to the idea and learn to live with this part of the leadership scenario. Don't feel sorry for yourself and don't quit when the going gets rough. Don't start doubting your calling as a leader or feeling that you are a failure or that you'll never make it. You'll make it. Just understand that you are a leader and that part of being such is that you will have opposition and struggle.
Oh, to be sure, you have weaknesses and faults. God may allow opposition to arise just to smooth off the rough edges from your leadership style and incomplete character. As a leader you should learn to admit that you don't have all the answers, and that if it wasn't for God's blessing you could never succeed much less lead anyone anywhere at anytime.
But sometimes you may be doing everything right. You may be praying and worshipping God daily. You may be deeply into his Word. You may be on your knees humbled before God. You may be fasting and searching your heart for flaws and openly laying them before God for his shaping hand. You may be truly trying to listen to those around you and receive the benefit of their ideas. You may be encouraging others and doing all the right things as a spiritual person and mentor of others. You may be reading about leadership and seeking to learn from those who are ahead of you in leadership ability and spiritual maturity. You may be doing everything right, but still your leadership will be challenged. Jesus' was.
Do you honestly think you can lead the charge in the fight for souls against all the powers of hell and not be challenged? Do you really believe that you can make inroads into demonic strongholds and not be attacked? Do you truly think that you can pursue godliness and stand unopposed? Do you imagine that you can threaten all that Satan and his kingdom of darkness stands for and not be harassed?
You've got to be kidding! Satan is going to do everything he can to drive you insane. He will never rest until you begin questioning yourself, your vision, and even your faith. He will never relent until you are discouraged and distraught on a continual basis. He will muster all the evil forces of hell against you to bring you down. He will come against you through temptations and depression and criticism that never ends. He will incite tongues set on fire by hell to ceaselessly send verbal torpedoes your way to pierce your heart and crush your desire to lead.
If he did it to Jesus, he will do it to you. But like Jesus, you must stand your ground. Sure, look inwardly, and if God reveals something in your leadership, life, or character that you need to change, then submit that to his will. Admit wrong, and admit it quickly. But more often than not, you will simply need to stand your ground and refuse to give in to the deceptive and destructive attacks of the one from hell who hates your guts.
The religious leaders of Jesus' day hated his guts, but he refused to play their game. Instead, he boldly stood up and countered their question with a question that he knew they could not answer.
He stood his ground.
You stand your ground too. Don't give one inch to those who mindlessly, thoughtlessly, and selfishly come against you. Stand your ground for God. Stand your ground for those who count on you to lead them. Stand your ground for your family and loved ones. Stand your ground for those you've never met that have benefited from what you've done for God through channels only the Holy Spirit could create. Lastly, stand your ground for yourself - for you are too good a person and too dedicated to your God to quit on him now. And if you need to get away for a while to recuperate, then do it. But stand your ground.
Be resolved: Jesus' leadership was challenged, and yours will be too. It's part of the game. It's part of the leadership package. Never fail to love even those who challenge you, but don't be afraid to give them tough love too - that's what Jesus did.
Now go and lead in Jesus' name. The cause for which you labor is the greatest on earth if you labor for the Master - whether it is at church or work or home or school. Lead and labor for the Master.
And remember leadership is always challenged.