The Final Call Is Yours

Leadership is very important and there should be certain expectations placed on leadership, but that doesn't mean that we no longer have to toe the line ourselves. 

2 Corinthians 13.1-14

Reference: v.7  Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong.  Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.  (NIV Bible)

Explore:  Leaders play a very important role in church life.  You have leaders who are paid, leaders who are volunteers and leaders who just naturally lead even if they have no specified role.  If you think about it, it is clear that leadership is not determined by money but by influence.  Whatever role a leader may hold, you can find that people are looking up to them, taking cues from them and seeing them as someone they can follow. Pause here and think of the leaders in your life at the moment.  Some of them may be great leaders while others you may be able to see large flaws in their leadership.  All of them will have some kind of impact on your life.  Sure, some of them may be showing you how not to be a leader, but that's teaching all the same.

Application:  Sometimes we can ride too much on leadership.  We expect the leaders to do everything in the church, we expect leaders to provide everything we need, we expect leaders to make everything go smoothly.  In that way, we can remove all responsibility from ourselves to do the right thing and just hang it all on the leaders.  Now, don't hear me wrong, leadership is very important and there should be certain expectations placed on leadership, but that doesn't mean that we no longer have to toe the line ourselves.  In this final chapter in his second letter to the Corinthians Paul is asking them to take responsibility for their own actions.  They may think that Paul is wrong or failed or false, however whatever they perceive in their leadership Paul is saying 'you do what is right'.  If you think a leader has failed you it is still your responsibility to 'do what is right'.  Leaders can encourage, influence and persuade but ultimately the final call is yours.  Only you can make decisions for yourself.  You need to discern all that is going on and 'do what is right'.  That's why a personal faith in God is essential.  We can not be living off the faith of others but we need to be discerning and pursuing a Godly life for ourselves.  Leadership is important but ultimately, the final call is yours.  

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for the leaders in my life for this season.  Help me to learn from them while discerning from You what is 'right' for my life.  Amen. 

What influence has leadership had on your life?  What are ways that you personally discern 'what is right'?

2 Corinthians