Matt's Muzings
Jealousy--An Attribute of Leadership?
I am working with a leadership group for five weeks and we are studying the Nature and Character of God.
One of the things I rediscovered is that an attribute of leadership is jealousy.
What is your reaction to such a statement? My first response is no way. But then I am struck by scriptures that say our God is a jealous God.
Ex 34:14 --for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous , is a jealous God
If we are made in His image, and we are, then we are to model this in our character. But how?
We rarely see this modeled in a way that helps us understand it. Solomon wrote what we are all very much aware of: "And I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind."
James writes - "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing."
We are used to the selfish version of jealousy. Someone else shows me up, is better or has more than me and I WANT IT. I saw this just recently in myself when I got an email from another leader and they were telling about their ministry. They were meeting with key people and being honored and I saw I was jealous for myself. I wanted to be honored and be with men of power. I wanted that for me. My pride doesn't like it when others have more than me. So I am jealous and thus moved to do what is necessary to either get rid of them, (Cane and Abel) or exalt myself (Satan). My own fleshly plan is not to mention this other leader in anything I do and or to withdraw into myself.
But we miss the reality of this found in true love.
We can find it in Moses. So a young man ran and told Moses and said, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." Then Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, answered and said, "Moses, my lord, restrain them." But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD'S people were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!"
Moses didn't think he should be the only "prophet" in the camp. He wasn't jealous of their ministry, that it might 'show up' his. Moses longed that God would be honored by all. When Joshua was watching out for Moses' glory, Moses quickly pointed to God, it didn't matter who did it, but simply that God was glorified.
As I look in my life at other times, I see there are moments when I find myself in tears, aching for others to know this God that I know. I ponder, if they could only see the crumbs of truths that I have found. If they could only catch the passing glimpse that I have seen, they would gladly surrender and love Him with all their heart. Oh that they could see Him, it would be alright.
So, for me, the question then is not, if I will be jealous? But for what or who will I be jealous? Sadly it is usually for myself that jealousy rears it's ugly head.
We are called to be leaders who ‘image-out' God, who model His nature and character, who, like Moses, will be jealous for others to see God. Not leaders who backbite, hurt or ignore others because they have a ministry that we want or 'show us up'. We should rejoice when God moves simply because we love Him and want others to know Him.
Leadership has within it a jealousy for glory, that those they serve would find a revelation of the beauty of God's greatness and goodness and by that revelation express it in their life. Loving jealousy is simply the commitment that people get the best, the truth, the life, in all they are doing.
God is like that for us. He simply wants what is best for us. What is best for us? He is the best for us.
James writes: Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"?
Join me in receiving His Spirit and modeling a loving jealousy in our leadership. As leaders we would have a growing desire for others to find the glory of God as seen in His greatness and goodness. And that we as leaders rejoice when other's ministry goes well and God is seen through them.