Do you remember saying that as a child? The game was called..."Follow the leader". In the course of playing this particular game, a leader would be chosen, then each individual would imitate the actions & movements of the leader. That game was a blast! You could get your friends to do all kinds of stuff they would ordinarily never do. {I won't go into details.} Wouldn't it be something if leading the people in your local church was as easy as "Follow the Leader"?!
I know I'm being a little too simple, but think about it. There would be no complaining, arguing or questioning. Everyone would simply do what ever you did because you were the "leader".
The reality of it however, is people will follow you if you don't hurt them. If you love them. If you care for them. If you put trust in them. They will especially follow you when they sense that you are close to God.
I believe some leaders make the mistake of expecting people to follow them simply because they are the "leader". Some people may for a while, but the first time there is trouble, "Look out"! Jesus found this to be true even in His ministry.
Yet after He showed love to those who denied him and patience to those who doubted Him, he had a group of people who would follow Him to the ends of the Earth. And they did! They willingly gave their lives as a result of His leading. That to me is incredible.
I believe that the most important thing I can learn by His example of leadership, is that you cannot force people to follow you. Neither can you expect them to follow you when you are not willing to lead the way by example. However, I believe He would have us to understand, that once you have paid the price of true leadership, as He did, then you have earned the right and honor of having a few people say, "I'll go where you want me to go and do what you want me to do.
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