Diligently Leading

 DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

DILIGENTLY LEADING

Rom 12:3-8

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

NIV

 

To be a leader, to be used by God to lead others is certainly not an easy “gift”. The Greek word here has the meaning of being over, or to superintend as well as to be a protector a guardian.  This has great spiritual applications. We do not think Paul is using this term in the secular sense of leading others neither in a military nor pollical sense. Therefore, this would most likely be aimed at those who have been called to be the spiritual leaders of the body of Christ. It could be seen as being directed at the pastor of a church, or those who serve in the higher denominational regional or national headquarters. However, if we are to believe that the Spirit is expressing himself within whom he determines to as a leader, then this could apply or be seen in many other people within the body of Christ. Those who teach Sunday School, or oversee another ministry where either teaching or discussions are conducted. Through the years, we have seen the ministry of small groups that meet in homes, with one person having the responsibility of being the overseer, the leader of the group, and would be a layperson. Whenever any leading of the spiritual matter occurs, we would think it would have to be under the influence of the Spirit. However, that may or may not be the case in many of the cases which implies this would be done under the power of man, rather than God. However, the point is that if through the grace of God, that is the divine influence of God a person is gifted, or the Spirit is expressing himself within a person with leadership, this person should apply himself with all diligence. This is a little difficult to understand because if it is a “gift” or the expression of the Spirit, then we would think that diligence is a human effort, rather than from the Spirit. If we think in terms of leadership being a gift then it comes completely from the giver, with the recipient simply opening it, and in the case of a tool, such as leadership, using it with all diligence, or properly, in accordance with the reason the giver presented it. Therefore, if we have been given this “gift” which is being responsible for the spiritual growth of others, then we should apply ourselves to the study of the word, diligently so as to be leading as the Spirit expresses himself in and through us. So then we would be diligently leading, which puts a whole other spin on this “gift”. In other words, if the Spirit is expressing himself within us to lead, then we cannot lead half-heartedly, but we must be diligently leading.