Are you leading like The Lion?
There’s something about the “Big Cat” that demands our attention. They are, after all, a bit of a paradox. A lion is the picture of both grace and power. They possess the ability to captivate and intimidate. But in Proverbs 30:29-30 King Solomon makes a different kind of observation about the lion; an important observation – a leadership observation.
It’s this observation that I want us to focus on. Take a look…
“There are three things that walk with stately stride—no, four that strut about: the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything,”
-Proverbs 30:29-30 (NLT)
A lion doesn’t turn aside for anything.
He knows himself and his mission. He doesn’t make a move that doesn’t move his mission forward. Taunting, complaining, mocking, or trash talking – none of this draws the lion aside; for a lion, “…won’t turn aside for anything.” He’s secure in his identity and so he saves his strength and energy for those things that are most important; that are worthy of his attention- because a lion is focused.
Are you leading like a lion?
Leaders, like lions, stay focused:
- They don’t “turn aside” to Facebook when they should be focusing on their family.
- They don’t “turn aside” to work on ministry when they should be working on their marriage.
- They don’t waste their time fighting battles where there is no victory.
- They don’t waste their roar on the distant heckling of their haters.
- They don’t compromise their calendar in order to coddle the impatient.
- They don’t lead to please people, they lead to pursue their purpose and help others do the same.
- They don’t turn aside to become offended, because offense only empties a leader of the strength you’ll need to accomplish the real mission.
What are you constantly turning aside for? What’s it costing you, your family, or your ministry?
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah
When The Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Jesus), came into the world; haters-hated, users tried to use Him, abusers tried to abuse him, and people with their own agenda’s tried to distract Him.
But He NEVER turned aside – for anything.
They tried to force Him into their political system – but he never turned aside.
They tried to throw Him off of a cliff in order to kill Him, but He never turned aside.
Satan tempted Him 3 times, but He never turned aside.
Even the night before His crucifixion, when Peter tried to stand between Him and His mission, Jesus said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
Jesus refused to turn aside for anything.
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, knew His mission and that victory didn’t come easy. He knew that it would require Him to stay focused; to go to the cross – no short cuts. But you may be surprised to discover that it wasn’t the cross itself upon which He remained focused. He fixed His attention rather on that which was waiting for Him on the other side:
“for the joy set before Him [He] endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
Because He never turned aside for anything, Jesus won the greatest contest between good and evil that the universe had ever witnessed!
Leader – if you’ll lead like THE LION, if you’ll refuse to turn aside for anything; if you’ll stay focused on the mission during the dark season, the difficult season, the discouraging season – you too will achieve victory. “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
[shareable cite=”@PastorTHall”]Jesus stayed focused on His mission so that we could focus on Him.[/shareable]
