In that context, the verse about Hanani stood out to me:
I put my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the captain of the citadel, in charge of Jerusalem because he was an honest man and feared God more than most men. (7:2)While it's easy in our Christian culture to become enamored with leaders who are dynamic or great communicators or who get results, God continues to remind me that it's the heart of a leader that is most important. Hanani was chosen to lead Jerusalem because of his outstanding character - his honesty and fear of the Lord - not because of his skills and talents.
"Here is God's leadership model: he chooses fools to live foolishly in order to reveal the economy of heaven, which reverses and inverts the wisdom of this world. He calls [leaders] to brokenness, not performance; to relationships, not commotion; to grace, not success." Dan Allender, Leading With a LimpIs that what I've always looked for in a leader - brokenness, relationships, and grace? Have I always been that kind of leader? Unfortunately, no. I have tended to elevate other qualities, like effectiveness and results, higher than I should, and I have regrets and a few scars from those experiences.
But God is making it clear that He values things differently than I do. I would do well to remember what's most important to my Lord as I lead in the arena He's given me today.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge Proverbs 1:7 (NIV)
Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent, a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family. Proverbs 6:16-19 (Msg)
The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom Proverbs 15:33 (NIV)
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God. Proverbs 31:30 (Msg)
1 comment:
Thanks for the reminder that I desire to be a woman after God's heart who FEARS HIM. In women's ministry, Proverbs 31:30 is used a lot, I even used it a lot. But I paused from this verse...because I'm trying to dig deeper to what it means to be a woman who fears the Lord.
I've been reading When people are big and God is small.. but I've been reading it for a long time because there's so much to take in when thinking about the fear of people, then the fear of God and knowing what it is then growing in it. This is a prayer from the book that I would love to start praying because it is so true in my life.
"Lord teach your church to fear you. Your grace is not always amazing to us. We are slow to hate our sin. We are more concerned with what someone thinks about our appearance than we are about reverential obedience before you. We want to delight in fear. We want to treasure it and give it to the next generation. Amen." I delight in the beauty of Your Holiness, my God. Sometimes I forget You are SOOOOO big. Grow my fear in You, my awe, my obedience, my worship, my confidence, my view of You. You are amazing.
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