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Jonah 3:6-10
Jonah 3:6-10
Leadership is influence. That’s all it is. We like to put big fancy definitions on it and we like to hold it up as if Leadership is some desirable, but unattainable quality that is reserved for people with titles. But Leadership is just influence.
Leadership is when one friend influences another to not steal candy from the grocery store. Leadership is when a kid says something that sounds too much like one of their parents. Leadership is when Grandma or Grandpa sits at the table playing a board game with their grandkids and tells them stories from their past. Leadership is just influence.
And yet we shy away from Leadership because we think that maybe we don’t have what it takes to lead, or we worry if anybody will follow us, or we just don’t want to do it.
But here is the secret: if you interact with anyone on a semi regular basis… you are already leading.
You are influencing them, just as much as they are influencing you. You are already leading. The real question is: What are you leading others toward?
6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” 10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
Jonah 3:6-10
In this week’s passage, we learn that the King of Nineveh heard the word of God preached by Jonah, “In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed” and He decided he was going to do something about it.
So, he got off his throne and took off his robe – the two things that most people would have associated with his leadership. He got rid of the pieces that made him look like a leader and he became a leader. He mourned and repented of His evil ways, and He called out to the rest of the city: we are not going to eat or drink, we are going to mourn our sin and repent of it. And He trusted in God.
Leadership is influence.
You being a leader is less about how you look and how much power or how many titles you have been given, and more about how you influence others to follow after Jesus. Consider who is in your circle of influence and who is influencing you also. Who are you leading people toward?
As you consider this scripture and reflect this week, respond to the following questions:
1. What people in your life look up to you?
2. What is one way you can help them see Jesus this week?