Follow Jesus’example (Protect Others)

This blog is the tenth and final in a new series on excellence in leadership. Drawn from Chapter 11 of my book “More Than Your Business Card,” it explores Jesus’ conduct as the perfect example we are called to imitate.

GREAT LEADERS PROTECT OTHERS 

Several years ago, we were to join several others from our church on a short-term mission trip to India. Our purpose was to teach pastors and other Indian leaders through our International Leaders School of Ministry (ILSOM), a training program developed by our church and one that is much in demand worldwide. We had previously participated in an ILSOM near Mumbai, and on this occasion we were slated to go to New Delhi. Our teams were to meet in Mumbai prior to fanning out across India. 

After tentatively agreeing to go, we were invited by a close niece to her wedding in England. The date conflicted with the last part of the ILSOM. After considering the conflict, we decided to arrive in Mumbai early and depart the school early to attend her wedding. On the day we were to commit to travel arrangements, we prayed about the trip. I was quite certain God wanted us in India, but Mary thought it important to pray about it. Surprisingly, she had a strong sense from God that we weren’t to go, and shortly thereafter, so did I. 

Since we were looking forward to returning to India, we were confused. However, we canceled since we were certain that, for some reason, God didn’t want us to go. Soon afterward, our niece informed us that her wedding had been moved up. The new date would have prevented us from attending the first half of the ILSOM. Confident that God didn’t want us in India on this occasion, I agreed to travel to Ghana on business during the same dates as the ILSOM. 

We would have been staying there at exactly the time the attack occurred if it had not been for God’s intervention.

On the evening of November 26, 2008, my colleague joined me at dinner in Kumasi, Ghana, with the news of several terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Among the targets was the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Mary and I had visited this hotel on our previous visit and planned to stay there during the two days leading up to the ILSOM. As a result, we would have been staying there at exactly the time the attack occurred if it had not been for God’s intervention. During the attack on the Taj, many hotel guests were held hostage, many were injured, and thirty-one died. 

As leaders, we are called to protect others. One of the main ways we do so is by taking responsibility for failures rather than blaming others. Even if the mistake was made by a member of our team, we must keep in mind that it is our team, we lead it, and the buck stops with us! 

Are you taking the time to know Jesus intimately through reading the Bible, prayer, and meeting with other believers? Are you Christlike at work? After all, Jesus is the perfect leader, and according to Scripture, we are called to imitate Him. When you do something wrong, do you seek forgiveness from those who were wronged?

Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay