James 3:1 (New King James Version) My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
In most churches, there are a lot of folks who want to be a leader, but the group really shrinks when you talk about paying the price to be a leader.
In a recent devotion by John Maxwell in his Leadership Bible, I came across these thoughts and believe they will encourage you in the area of leadership.
Many leaders want to climb the corporate ladder, hoping that freedom and power wait at the top. They don't realize that leadership really requires sacrifice. Leaders who want to rise must do more than take an occasional cut in pay; they have to give up their rights. That's true of every leader regardless of profession. Talk to any leader, and you will find he has made repeated sacrifices. The higher that the leader has climbed, the greater the sacrifices he usually has made. Effective leaders sacrifice much that is good in order to dedicate themselves to what is best. Leadership demands constant sacrifice. It is an ongoing process, not a one-time payment. The circumstances may change from person to person, but the principle doesn't: Leadership means sacrifice!
Do you still want to be a leader? Remember, you have got to count the cost!
