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Before I left for training camp I had been meeting with a friend. We met in college and lately have been living in the same city allowing our acquaintance to grow into friendship. It’s awesome to have a good friend to talk to and even more awesome to have a friend who knows you, past and present. She knows who you used to be and can appreciate who you are now. This particular friend takes that one step farther and can speak life and mentorship into who I am becoming.
One of the topics we’ve discussed is my “Fear of Flying”. Not flying in an airplane, but of flying in some of the personality traits that God has given me. Specifically, God has instilled a strong personality me. Its filled with confidence, some influence, and a little bit of wisdom. With those traits, I come off as a leader.
But in most situations, I have no want or need to lead. If you need a wing man, I’m your girl! Even though I refuse to follow a path that is headed off a cliff, I will submit to leader as an active follower that will serve, anchor, and advise my leader. I understand and respect the struggles of a leader. Therefore, I do my best to support that leader in any and every way I can… from the background.
During the last couple days of training camp, I learned that I was being asked to lead a team of young adults on the race. I immediately started to panic and I let Satan raise my insecurities to the surface. “Who are you to lead? You are not qualified! You have no leadership style to follow. You have never done this before. You are not the right person to lead this team.”
See, the reasons that I don’t want to be leader are the exact reasons why I respect leaders. To be a leader is to have vision, wisdom, and the following to bring that vision to fruition. And that can be easier said than done. If you look at the way the culture of the world does leadership it makes me, and maybe you too, want to run in the other direction. I don’t want to be that person caring more about myself, my goals, and my accolades more than people around me. And in my mind, I have a better opportunity to care about the people around me from the background.
But if we look at some of the greatest leaders of our time we find the key to leadership. It’s the ability to serve the people around you from a leadership position. To empower them to be the best they can be and learn how to ripple that empowerment to the people around them.
Does that sound familiar? There is one Man who has done this better anyone who has ever lived…
His name is Jesus Christ.
And so, even though Satan came on strong using my insecurities against me, the Holy Spirit came on stronger.
“You are my child. I have prepared you for this task. I will never leave you. We will do this together.”
And then the Holy Spirit sealed the conversation by speaking to me through a movie…
A couple weeks ago I was watching Kung Fu Panda 3 and the Holy Spirit threw another nugget at my head as I literally laughed out loud at Po’s situation. Shifu, Po’s Sensei, promoted Po, as the Dragon Warrior, to be be the new Sensei, the new teacher at the temple.
The next scene is beyond comical as Po makes a complete and utter mess of his students during his first teaching experience. As Po is walking away, some geese come up behind him making fun of him. They see him and don’t even try to hide that they were talking about him. And then Shifu materializes and asks how Po feels about his first lesson.
– How was your first day teaching?
– Humiliating.
– I heard.
– Who told you? Did Tigress tell you?
– I heard from Monkey and Crane and Mantis and your dad and Mrs. Chau from the gift shop. And those ducks who just passed… and Tigress told me.
– Yeah, well did she also tell you that it’ll never happen again cause I’m done?
– Teaching, or being humiliated?
– Both. I don’t know why you ever thought I could teach that class?
– Oh I knew you couldn’t.
– What?!? You set me up to fail? Why?
– If you only do what you can do, you’ll never be more than you are now.
– I don’t wanna be more. I like who I am.
– You don’t even know who you are.
– What do you….? Of course I do! I’m the dragon warrior.
– And what exactly does that mean… dragon warrior?
– It means…you know… just going around and punching and kicking defending the valley and stuff.
– Punching and kicking? You think that is what the great master Oogway saw for you? A five hundred year prophecy full-filled so you can spend your days… Kicking butt? And running through town high-fiving bunnies?
– Yes… No…
– Oogway saw greatness in you Po… against my better judgement. More than you can see in yourself. Incredible power awaits you.
Power beyond anything you can imagine.
God clearly said “do not fear failure. That’s how you grow! And by the way, I know you better than you know yourself. If I put you there, you can handle it.” And I felt Him smile upon me…
My fear of leading, and more importantly my fear of failing, is subsiding as learn to truly trust and lean in to the road to my purpose that God has for me.
We all fear something and that’s ok. It’s a safety mechanism within us, but it is also our alert that says “this is the time to lean in to God!” So lean in! Give your fears to Him, put your hands up, and enjoy the ride because there is never a dull day in the life of trusting in God and surrendering our fears to Him.
Jehovah-Jireh – The Lord is my Provider. God has provided me with the tools I need.
Jehovah-Roi – The Lord is my shepherd. With the tools He gives me, He will lead me, He will guide me, He will never leave me and prepares me for all that will come my way and all that He will ever have me do through His strength.
What is God asking you to do through the Holy Spirit? Have you been running from it in the same way that I have?
Let’s stop running… together…
