A devotional by Sandy Martin

Leadership is the art of moving people from point A to point B.  It involves careful planning and a connection with those you are called to lead. A good leader shares the vision, creates desire, and infuses people with a purpose.

I have noticed that the most successful leaders are those who know well their strengths AND their weaknesses. No one is fully prepared to lead solo. We need the input of those who are strong in areas where we are weak. A leader who is truly humbly can acknowledge their weakness and embrace those who are strong in areas where they are weak. Refusing to see our own weakness will, in the long-run, turn even our strength against us and has the potential to sabotage the journey.

In 2008 our youngest daughter got married. This felt like a great time for my husband Tom and I to begin a new hobby. So, we bought our first kayaks. We learned so much those first few years. We bought some wrong equipment, we had a few “dumps.” But we kept learning from our mistakes. Before long, others began to join us in our kayaking adventures.

Tom is a “researcher.” If you want to know information, he most likely has “an app for that”! He can tell you river levels, time and quantity of dam releases, weather patterns, wind velocity, high tides and low tides. His strength is creating a great kayaking experience in the context of safety. Organization and order are key ingredients to create safety in my husband’s world. He wants everyone to be prepared for the journey and then to get them to their destination safely. He’s the guy that has with him, a tow rope, an extra water pump, extra paddles, a life float rope, and extra sunscreen.

l, on the other hand, am more of a “lets figure it out as we go”, or “let’s wing it, it will all work out” kinda girl. Often, I’ve been impatient with all his research and planning. But many times, I have quite literally been saved by all of his research and planning. We have exited a lake just minutes before a major storm blew in. On the Lehigh River, knowing the best way to navigate difficult rapids was crucial. Knowing the “high tides” and “low tides”, makes all the difference.

We create a gentle balance for each other. I’ve learned to greatly value and respect all of his planning, research, and safety measures. And Tom has learned from me, when he might be “over thinking” things or when we’ve had enough information and it is time to let God be God. While his mind and heart are always going out ahead of us, my mind and heart is in the here and now, enjoying every precious moment. But as we draw on each other strengths, I see Tom living in the moment more, taking more chances, and thriving on adventure. In fact, I was the one recently that questioned one of his river route choices due to a potential safety hazard. It was a first, but it really did happen!

We’ve learned so much from each other. And the beauty of this is that Tom leads with humility. It’s not about him. He listened to my concern intently, and even though it messed up his plans, he revisited the river course choice. We will never know if that section of the river was a hazard, but what I can tell you is that the course we switched too was one of the most scenic and exciting river runs we’ve ever experienced.

Finally. a great leader sits back and lets others step up and lead. When navigating a river, you are always looking for the “V”, when you are coming up to rapids. As a beginner, it’s wise to hang back and follow someone with more experience. A great leader finds it life-giving to see those that once followed, coming into their own and taking the lead. They may navigate differently but it is still effective and gets you through successfully.

All of us are called at various times in our lives to be leaders and followers, to be advisors and to accept advise. Giving God the glory for all he has done and for being the source of all our strength and abilities keeps us humble. And recognizing our humanity and our limitations keeps us humble and growing. If today you are called to lead, co-lead or follow, do it all to the glory of God.

James 4:6 But He give us more grace. That is why Scripture says, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble”.

Philippians 2:3-11 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.