When my children were not yet adolescents, I struggled to teach them about our fourth quality of godly leaders. Before you think I am some super-dad that started them that young on this kind of teaching, think again. I wish I was that good! Sure, I was trying to teach them about radical, immediate obedience, but not necessarily in the context of godly leadership.
Obedience Needed
Picture our family, my wife and I and our three kids (all under 10 years old), trying to cross the road to head into church on a Sunday morning. My son notices a friend across the street and breaks into a run to go talk with them. At the same time, a truck is 30 feet away and heading quickly toward him. Got the picture?
Now, as a responsible and protective dad, I yell out for my son to stop running.
Kinds Of Obedience
What happens if he obeys, but not immediately? Maybe he takes another couple of steps toward his friend. Now walking, he turns his head back toward me to see if I am serious. What happens to him?
What if he obeys by stopping, but he waits and stops in the middle of the street. He then turns to question me about why he should have to stop. What happens then?
I think you get the idea. If my son does anything other than radically and immediately obeying my command, then his life is endangered. This very same idea applies to our discussion on godly leadership.
Underlying Truths
See, there are truths underlying my instructions to my son. One truth is that blindly running out into a street can put him in the path of an oncoming vehicle. Another truth is that there are cars on the road with drivers that are not alert or expecting kids to run into the street. There is also a truth that says a 10 year old is not like to survive a collision with a moving truck.
These are not arguable truths. They are absolute. They are also truths that I understand as a parent, but truths that my son may not fully comprehend at 10 years old. As a result, he and I must have an understanding that he will radically and immediately obey me when I yell to him.
He must understand that partial obedience is not acceptable. Delayed obedience does not work either. He cannot choose to be selective and obey only when my instructions match up with his desires. No, a radical and immediate obedience is the only way I can truly protect him in this situation. These other kinds of obedience are bad for him!
Radical, Immediate Obedience
In his segment in Dennis Rainey’s Stepping Up Video Series, Dr. Crawford Loritts detailed his four qualities of godly leaders. I have covered the first three of these qualities in previous posts. Today, in case you have not been paying attention, I want to continue discussing the fourth quality – radical, immediate obedience.
I think you understand the application of this kind of obedience in the context of my family above. It applies the same way in our efforts to be godly leaders, only on a bigger scale.
The parallel is that God knows truths that we simply do not yet grasp. He understands things about our world and our own minds that we don’t comprehend. Based on these truths, he lays out guidelines and boundaries for us as godly leaders. He expects radical, immediate obedience to these guidelines.
Obedience For Leaders
God does not ask for this type obedience because He is ruthless. He asks for this obedience because that is what is best for us. He loves us and wants us to live life to the fullest. Partial, delayed, or selective obedience will limit (or even destroy) this opportunity for us. But the picture is actually even worse than that!
The picture is worse because you and I are leading others!
Go back to the image of my son running into the street. It would be horrible to see him hit by the truck. It would be worse if my twin daughters, two years younger than him, were following his lead. Disaster!
The same is true of us and our leadership. We can lead others into life or disaster (even death), depending on how we respond to God’s truths. Which are you going to choose?
Truths Worth Dying For
I will close with a quote from Dr. Loritts regarding this truth:
If you are called to lead, there is a sacred assignment that God has given you. And there is truth that you need to steward. And that truth is not arbitrary. I’s not a bunch of opinions and traditions. These are truths that are worth dying for. […] And that’s what we need to be called back to.
Dr. Crawford Loritts
Do you recognize that God knows truths beyond your understanding?
Is your obedience typically radical and immediate?
Where do you need to alter your obedience from being partial, delayed, or selective?
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