I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. (Colossians 1:24 – 29) NKJV
Effective Christian leaders are always willing to pay the price of leadership. In the context above, Apostle Paul reveals his principles that govern his life. These principles are not just for the pastor, teacher or board member, they are principles valuable to every Christian because they point us to true discipleship.
Paul begins “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly, of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God”. (Colossians 1:24 – 25) NKJV
Paul rejoices in “his suffering for your sake”. What is he referring to here? He is referring to the sacrifice of Christ for our sin. Paul is grateful for Christ’s work in their life. But there is more to this statement. He also says “And fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ”. Here, he is referring to his (Paul’s) own suffering. Paul realizes that the suffering he is experiencing is really directed at Christ and in that sense is still Christ’s affliction. Paul says there is a price to pay to lead. If Christ suffered for us, we his followers must be prepared to suffer for Him. Let’s take a look at this reference: “Remember the words I spoke to you: No servant is greater than his master”. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also (John 15:20).
Paul then goes into details about his sufferings in II Corinthians 11:24 – 33.
From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands. (II Corinthians 11:24 – 33) NKJV
Notice here that he (Paul) identified several sources of his suffering. There is overwhelming physical suffering. He was attacked, beaten and left to die. All this because of his proclamation of the gospel. This may not happen to mere church goers in our country today, but it is happening in other parts of the world. The world is becoming increasingly hostile to the Christian message. And as we have seen, people are resorting to violence to address their grievances more and more.
Secondly, Paul tells us how he’s been threatened by the Gentiles. In other words, he faces the subtle antagonism of non-believers. Here is something we should be able to relate to. Every time we take a stand for Christ, we become a target. If you are in a leadership position, you become a bigger target. People will exclude you, ridicule you, criticize you behind your back.
Thirdly, Paul tells us how he suffered from false brothers. These are devastating attacks from within the church. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Caesar is killed by a group of assailants. A famous line is “et tu, Brute”? Caesar was stunned that one he thought was a friend would turn on him. Anyone who has served in the church for any length of time understands this feeling. Some of the most painful blows come from these “false brothers” the ones we thought were our friends.
Paul also identifies one other source of suffering. “I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches”. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn”? One of the most painful aspects of Christian leadership is the heartbreak of sharing people’s pain.
It is tough to listen to the heart ache that goes on in so many lives. It’s devastating to see someone who is acting out of rebellion to the Lord. It hurts every time you stand by a casket as the family says their final good bye to a loved one. The closer you get to the family, the more it hurts.
There is a price to be paid to be an effective leader. There is a price to pay to take a stand for Christ. Prepare for it.
STRONG CONVICTIONS
The necessity of forming strong convictions cannot be over emphasized. Our established belief system gives rise to our convictions. To have conviction is to sense that there is something we must do while we are on this earth. It is not optional, because life will have no meaning if we don’t accomplish that very thing. “We can learn all the skills, method, and styles of leadership, but they won’t mean much if we have no real conviction that guide our lives, or if we sell-out those convictions – Myles Munroe
ACCOUNTABLITY
We must learn to be accountable to others, especially those over us. Accountability, or answering to a higher authority for our attitudes and actions, reflects a commitment to our own personal integrity. This is one quality every leader needs desperately. We now live in an era where people find it difficult to be truly accountable. But I have discovered that this core quality helps a leader to remain fixed, set, predictable, and stable in character. As leaders, we have a responsibility to be accountable on three levels – to ourselves, to other people, and to our creator.
COMMITMENT
First, we must make a commitment to always evaluate ourselves and see if we are living up to an expected standard or not. We must have established our moral principles that we value highly, and as it is, according to God’s word.
Secondly, we must make a strong commitment to be evaluated by others; no one can see all of his own weaknesses, or the areas of his life in which he may be compromising his standards. It is always good and more profitable to allow others see in you what you may not be able to see in yourself and allow them the freedom to help you with advice where necessary. We all sometimes need a different perspective on our lives to show us our weakness and our strengths alike. That’s why some leaders have ministry partners or prayer partners who they are accountable to and who shares in their joys and grief.
Third, a commitment to recognize that his ultimate accountability is to God. That is why he has made a commitment to follow the creator’s first laws. He knows that even when he is alone, everything he says or does is observed by his Higher Authority. As beings created by God in His own likeness, we have responsibilities and privileges alike. One of our responsibilities is to “fear” our creator. The term “the fear of the Lord”, which is found in the bible, does not mean that we are to be afraid of Him. In this sense, the word “fear” has to do with a great reverence and respect for Him that causes us to desire to follow His principles. It also refers to a proper sense of respect for His power, His love, and His attributes. Yes, we all have gifts and talents, but we did not create ourselves, and this fact should cause us to put our accomplishments into perspective and to express gratitude to our creator for all that we have.
A leader’s willingness to be accountable reflects his commitment to always be consistent in what he says, what he does, and who he is. Accountability – in all three realm we have discussed – protects a leader from being hypocritical, or two-faced, enabling him to align his life with his standards and principles and to establish his character firmly.