I recently came across an excellent post on LinkedIn by Jermie Howell, who is a coach, trainer, and owner of Lighthouse Leadership.  His post was about how Human Resources is not a department, but rather a ministry.  Several biblical principles immediately came to my mind, as I mentally substituted the word “leadership” for “Human Resources.”  Here is an excerpt from his post, making that substitution.

Leadership is not a department.
 Leadership is a ministry.
 
 Not a pulpit.
 Not a sermon.
 A calling.
 
 Leadership sits at the intersection of people’s livelihoods, dignity, grief, growth, discipline, fear, hope, and trust.
 
 Leaders don’t just write policies.
 We shape moments people never forget.
 • The conversation that preserves someone’s dignity
 • The decision that protects a family’s livelihood
 • The boundary that prevents harm
 • The courage to tell the truth when it’s uncomfortable
 • The compassion to listen when it would be easier not to
 
 That’s not “soft work.” That’s sacred work.
 
 Ministry isn’t about being nice. It’s about being faithful.
 
 Faithful to truth.
 Faithful to fairness.
 Faithful to people—even when it costs us comfort, popularity, or convenience.
 
 Leadership done right doesn’t seek applause.
 It seeks trust.
 
 And trust is built one moment, one decision, one hard conversation at a time.
 
 If you see leadership as paperwork, you’ll manage tasks. If you see leadership as a ministry, you’ll change lives.

Wow!  His words capture so well how our actions and attitudes should be, in all of our leadership roles.  And make no mistake – we all have at least one leadership role in our lives.  There are people who are looking to each of us to be an example, a listener, a mentor, a friend, or a guide.  Here are some relevant biblical principles:

1) God has given each of us one or more special gifts.  Instead of using them to strengthen their leadership position, good leaders use them to serve others.  That is demonstrating that we are being good stewards of the gifts that God has given us:

1 Peter 4:10 NIV  Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

2) Good leaders lead through serving, and putting others ahead of themselves:

Mark 9:35 NIV  Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all."

3) Good leaders remember who they really work for:

Colossians 3:23 NIV  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

4) Jesus is our ultimate example of sacrificial serving.  Although He could have rightfully demanded to be served, He chose instead to serve:

Mark 10:45 NASB  "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

May we truly see our leadership (in whatever capacity) as a calling, as a ministry, and as sacred work.

Today, I encourage you to “Reflect on This.”