We think of leaders as strong people, and they usually are, but qualities like strength, courage, and decisiveness alone do not make a great leader.
In fact, it’s actually Christlike qualities that elevate a leader to greatness.
When the Son of God became a man and launched the most influential movement in history, he embodied a new kind of leadership: servant leadership. He made himself vulnerable to a host of temptations and trials in the service of others.
Our country’s greatest leaders have focused on others, sometimes to their own detriment. In doing so, they fostered an almost sacred bond with the American people.
As one of the most important elections in history approaches, with key races up and down the ballot, we can draw lessons from the Bible and American history in evaluating the candidates.
Here are some important, yet often overlooked, leadership qualities:
Humility
Jesus humbled himself by becoming a man, died on the cross in service to others, and “God exalted him to the highest place” (Philippians 2:6–9). Humility is the path to greatness in the kingdom of God, but it’s the road less traveled in politics.
“The humility requisite for our leaders is difficult,” said David Iglesias, director of the Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics and Economics. “The mere act of running for office takes outsized confidence, which is a mere stone throw from hubris. Running for office draws people who typically do not view humility in high regard.”
Yet in David Rubenstein’s new book, How to Lead: Wisdom from the World’s Greatest CEOs, Founders, and Game Changers, leaders mentioned humility again and again. President George W. Bush said it’s the most important quality for a prospective president. “It’s really important to know what you don’t know and listen to people who do know what you don’t know,” he said.
After President John Kennedy was assassinated,…
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