It’s the first of May. When I was in elementary school, we had May Day performances. During that day, each grade performed in front of the whole school and invited friends and families. One year, our grade did a choreographed “dance” to the song “This Land is Your Land.”
The students were lined up by height to form an upside-down triangle so that the point would be in the front with the shortest student and the taller students in the back row. I was among the shortest students and was picked to be the ‘point’. According to one teacher, I was the leader and other students could follow me if they forgot the moves.
I didn’t want to mess up so I practiced a lot. Have you heard of the saying, “Practice makes perfect”? Well, that didn’t work for me because I practiced with the song at a faster speed. So on May Day my timing was off and I did my movements sooner than everyone else. From then on, I prefer to be behind the scenes, not out in the front.
Choosing a leader based on height may not work out all the time. Though most leaders are tall. Israel’s first king was very tall. The Believers Instruction Book: Living Edition has many examples of leaders that can help us with our business journey.
When Scott quit his job to start his own business, I thought about the story of Abraham. He left what he was familiar with to go where he had never been before. He had to trust in God to lead him through his journey.
In business, sometimes we feel inadequate to do the job. Moses is an example of this. When he encountered God through the burning bush and was told to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses tried to get out of the assignment. But he took a step of faith and did what God wanted him to do.
There are many ups and downs in business. Joseph believed God had a plan for him, so he persevered through his struggles of being sold as a slave by his own brothers and then sent to prison for something he didn’t do.
These are just a few major leaders we can learn from. Of course, these same leaders are not perfect. We need to follow and practice their good examples, not their bad. Who else would you mention that helped you in your business journey?
Prayer
Dear God in heaven,
Thank you for sending Jesus to be a good example for us. Help us serve others so that people see You in our lives. May we glorify you in all that we do so that more people will come to know you and want to be a part of Your kingdom.
In Your Son’s name, Amen
Verses
1 Samuel 10:23
Hebrews 11:8
Exodus 3:11; 4:1,10,13
Genesis 37:18-28; 39:19-20
Song
“I Will Follow” by Chris Tomlin
Call to Action
If you have already prayed, looked up the verses in your Bible, and listened to the suggested song, then choose a leader in the Bible and read their story. Let me know what you learn. I’m curious who you’d pick.